GOVERNOR Arnold I. Palacios on Wednesday met with lawmakers to discuss the status of the close to $500 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds that the CNMI received from the federal government.
None of the lawmakers who attended the meeting wanted to comment, but Variety was told that the governor will issue an official statement to the public today, Thursday.
The transition committee tasked to review the Department of Finance is still “reconciling” the numbers pertaining to the expenditures of ARPA funds, Variety learned.
The CNMI government has up to Dec. 31, 2024 to spend ARPA monies, but sources said the Commonwealth may be facing an $86 million debt for the services and products that the Torres administration procured for ARPA-related projects, including the Building, Optimism, Opportunities and Stability Together or BOOST program.
This means “we are in a $86 million deficit with ARPA funds,” a source said.
The 23rd Legislature is expected to continue the investigation into the BOOST program that the 22nd House Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary and Governmental Operations conducted in November and December 2022.
Sen. Paul A. Manglona, for his part, has introduced Senate Resolution 23-2 requesting the U.S. Treasury to investigate the CNMI government’s ARPA funds spending.
