With Senate President Paul A. Manglona, Ind.-Rota abstaining during the session on Tinian, the Senate passed House Bill 17-131 without amendments and it now heads to the governor’s office.
Introduced by Rep. Raymond D. Palacios, Covenant-Saipan, H.B. 17-131 will authorize the governor to negotiate a settlement and payment of the judgment entered in Superior Court civil action No. 97-486 in connection with the amount the CNMI government owes to businessman Jack Manglona.
The bill applies also to the other outstanding court judgments against the commonwealth, including to the Marine Revitalization Corp. owned by Tony Pellegrino.
Palacios, in an interview, said government debts continue to incur interest and will get bigger the longer it takes for the government to pay.
The bill stated that with its current financial condition, the government can’t pay cash on judgments.
The bill also noted that Jack Manglona has indicated willingness to consider other methods to satisfy the judgment.
The settlement, the bill stated, “may include offsets and credits on any tax obligation or other obligations of the claimant or members of his immediate family to the commonwealth government, including all other settlement methods authorized by law other than cash as agreed by both parties.”
