Joel Camacho
GOVERNOR David M. Apatang has signed into law House Local Bill 24-15, appropriating $230,000 in amusement machine license fee collections for various programs and services on Saipan.
Authored by Rep. Joel Camacho and co-sponsored by Rep. Blas Jonathan Attao, Rep. Angelo Camacho, and Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez, H.B. 24-15 is now Saipan Local Law 24-9.
The amount being appropriated is a portion of the amusement license revenues reserved by Public Law 20-59. Signed by then-Gov. Ralph DLG Torres on May 11, 2018, P.L. 20-59 set aside $13 million generated from amusement license fees at the time for salary adjustments of top government officials. Of the total, $11.3 million was required to be deposited to the accounts of the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation, and $1.7 million to the account of the Tinian and Aguigan Legislative Delegation.
P.L. 20-59 also provides that after the allotments are satisfied in full, Finance is required to deposit all amusement license fee collections to the Capital Building Trust Fund, an account separate from the general fund, to be reserved for the construction of new buildings for the executive and legislative branches.
In his transmittal letter, Governor Apatang cautioned that the current account was opened in fiscal year 2021, so “it is difficult to readily ascertain whether the $11.3 million threshold was met” pursuant to P.L. 20-59’s reservation of the funds for salary adjustments. He noted, however, that H.L.B. 24-15 contains a clause that “frees the funds” from the restrictions contained in P.L. 20-59.
S.L.L. 24-9 appropriates the $230,000 in amusement license revenue as follows:
– $150,000 for Pacific Behavior Center.
– $5,000 for Marianas Business Network.
– $40,000 for Saipan Humane Society.
– $35,000 for Northern Marianas Protection & Advocacy Systems, Inc.
CUC dividends
The governor also approved H.L.B. 24-21, appropriating $2 million in dividends that the Commonwealth Economic Development Authority collected from the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation.
Authored by Rep. Blas Jonathan Attao, H.L.B. 24-21 is now Saipan Local Law 24-10. It appropriates $1 million to the Department of Finance for various obligations and local projects within the Third Senatorial District, and the other $1 million to CEDA for economic development relating to local projects in the same district.
