THE administration’s $217.96 million budget proposal for fiscal year 2003 includes a $2.75 million appropriation for the governor’s Solid Waste Management Task Force.
The amount will be used for the operations of the Marpi landfill and the closure of the Puerto Rico dump.
The administration also wants to earmark $4 million for the Garapan revitalization project.
A $1.6 million funding was likewise proposed for the Garapan watershed improvement project. The administration sees the need for the restoration of the on-shore resources of Garapan, noting that Saipan’s most polluted beach is near Dai-Ichi Hotel.
The administration has proposed $7,788,859 for the Department of Labor and Immigration.
This is $451,340 more than the amount DOLI received for FY 2002.
“These additional funds will be used to continue automation of the labor permitting and immigration system and for additional personnel and training,” acting Gov. Diego T. Benavente said in his transmittal letter to the Legislature.
The Attorney General’s Office will get $3,228,707, an increase of $371,584.
The increase will ensure adequate operations, including professional services and investigation, Benavente said. “In addition, these funds will allow the attorney general to take aggressive action against public corruption and prostitution activities and to initiate a new Community Attorneys Program,” he said.
DPS will get $13,889,992, an increase of $2,783,022.
Due to overtime payments, the actual expenditures for DPS in the current fiscal year are projected to be $16,107,257—or $5 million more than what was budgeted. Benavente said the proposed budget included funds for the merit increases of deserving officers.
The recommended budget for PSS is $38.882 million, which is lower than the $41 million proposed by education officials.
But the administration also proposed a Governor’s Education Initiative amounting to $6,572,341.
Of this amount, $273,000 will be for teacher tax credit; $1,074,155 for teacher salary increase; $5,000 for the teacher of the year award; and $100,000 for Northern Marianas College’s Endowment Tax Credit.
