Rep. Raymond D. Palacios, Covenant-Saipan, is proposing to allocate 25 percent, or $775,000, of SHEFA’s $3.1 million funding for the Northern Marianas Trades Institute.
Mafnas said the $3.1 million is just a projection that may not be realistic due to the declining collections from poker license fees — SHEFA’s primary funding source.
“I do not support giving away 25 percent,” he added.
Mafnas said SHEFA already has a program in place for NMTI students.
He said these students just have to go through the application process and SHEFA will determine their eligibility.
“SHEFA has always been supportive of NMTI,” he said.
During the last SHEFA board meeting, he added, they raised the scholarship award for NMTI from $800 to $1,000 per student per year if the student meets the requirements.
But if Palacios’ proposal is passed, Mafnas said the board has no choice but to drastically reduce its scholarship awards to SHEFA students immediately.
He said the board has already made some cuts to the scholarship programs that took effect in the Spring 2011 semester.
But the continuing decline in poker fee collections may force them to cut more or suspend one or two of their programs, he said.
