GOVERNOR Arnold I. Palacios on Wednesday signed into law two local bills appropriating casino license fee leftovers and poker fee collections for various programs, projects and community services on Saipan.
House Local Bill 23-23 and H.L.B. 23-24, both authored by Rep. Blas Jonathan Attao, are now Saipan Local Law 23-6 and S.L.L. 23-7.
S.L.L. 23-6 reappropriates $1 million of the remaining casino license fee collected from Imperial Pacific International in 2019 to the following programs and projects:
• $50,000 for the personnel and operation costs of Karidat.
• $50,000 for the personnel and operation costs of the Center for Living Independently.
• $100,000 for the personnel and operation cost of Substance Abuse Recovery.
• $20,000 for the Department of Public Works fuel and lubrications costs.
• $10,000 for the Kagman Agricultural Farms and Producers Association Inc.
• $15,000 for the Northern Mariana Islands Basketball Federation.
• $20,000 for the Commonwealth Women’s Association.
• $20,000 for the fuel costs of the Division of Customs’ maritime enforcement boats.
• $45,000 for the 2023 Flame Tree Festival organized this year by the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs.
• $15,000 for the Marianas Visitor Authority’s shuttle service on Saipan.
• $25,000 for the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation.
• $50,000 for the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library.
• $5,000 for the Island Summer Fest.
• $25,000 for Tasi to Table.
• $25,000 for the Commonwealth Bureau of Military Affairs.
• $10,000 for I Sanhalom Laguna Anglers Association.
• $200,000 for the Saipan Mayor’s Office personnel and operations.
• $40,000 for Inetnum Kulturan Natibu Marianas.
• $25,000 for the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council.
• $50,000 for Micronesian Legal Services.
S.L.L. 23-7 appropriates over $1.9 million in poker fees for the following:
• $1,547,000 for Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance.
• $100,000 for the Saipan Mayor’s Office.
• $50,000 for the Northern Islands Mayor’s Office.
• $50,000 for the Saipan Humane Society Inc.
• $50,000 for the improvements at the Office of Attorney General’s Criminal Division office in Susupe.
• $75,000 for the Saipan Zoning Office.
• $60,000 for the Department of Corrections’ Juvenile Detention Section.
Arnold I. Palacios
