David M. Apatang
LIEUTENANT Gov. David M. Apatang, in his capacity as acting governor, on Friday approved three local bills appropriating gambling revenues for Saipan’s programs and services and amending a local appropriation for the Rota Casino Gaming Commission.
He signed House Local Bill 24-12 into Saipan Local Law 24-4, H.L.B. 24-16 into S.L.L. 24-3, and H.L.B. 24-9 into Rota Local Law 24-2.
Authored by Reps. Blas Jonathan Attao, Joel Camacho, John Paul Sablan, Ralph N. Yumul, and Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez, S.L.L. 24-4 appropriates $2.5 million in poker fee collections as follows:
• $1.7 million for Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance
• $150,000 for the Saipan Mayor’s Office (personnel and operations) and the annual Liberation Day festivities
• $50,000 for the Northern Islands Mayor’s Office (personnel and operations)
• $30,000 for the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council
• $60,000 for the Northern Marianas Sports Association
• $75,000 for the Saipan Zoning Office
• $40,000 for Saipan Little League
• $10,000 for the Saipan Fishermen’s Association’s 41st Annual Saipan International Derby
• $10,000 for the Marianas Racing Association
• $5,000 for the 39th Anniversary of the 13 Fishermen Monument
• $20,000 for the Save the Music–CNMI Foundation
• $3,000 for the Paire Football Club
• $47,000 for the Department of Finance’s Division of Financial Services
• $25,000 for the Veterans Affairs Office
• $25,000 for the CNMI Women’s Association
• $20,000 for the Department of Public Works for the construction of the Navy Hill ponding basin
• $50,000 for the CNMI Scholarship Office
• $180,000 for the Healthcare Network Program
Authored by Reps. John Paul Sablan, Danny Aquino, Blas Jonathan Attao, Diego Vincent Camacho, Joel Camacho, Joseph Flores, and Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez, S.L.L. 24-3 appropriates a total of $51,000, the remaining balance of the Third Senatorial District’s share of the exclusive casino license fee, as follows:
• $26,000 for the Division of Parks and Recreation for the purchase of a lawn mower
• $25,000 for the Division of Parks and Recreation for the maintenance and improvement of parks in Precinct 2
Authored by Rep. Julie Marie Ogo, R.L.L. 24-2 amends R.L.L. 23-15, which appropriates $155,000 in Rota casino license fees for the Rota Casino Gaming Commission. The new law strikes out the Rota Department of Finance resident director from the list of authorities certifying recipients of funds and allows only the RCGC chairperson to certify funding recipients.
