Poker fee collections which have funded numerous community projects and programs are no longer enough to pay for everything.
Yesterday, the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation had to defer action on a proposal to re-appropriate $5,000 to the Saipan Little League, which earlier spent more than what it was provided.
Saipan lawmakers expressed their support for the Saipan Southern High School Manta Ray Concert Band but admitted that they don’t know where to get the $25,000 it needs so it can perform at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
The Northern Island residents and municipal government are also expecting to move ahead with a development summit that needs $15,000.
Delegation Ways and Means Committee Chairman Ray N. Yumul, R-Saipan, said $3.454 million in poker license fees was appropriated in June for scholarships and local projects, but the actual collection was $3.228 million only because more than 35 poker machine licenses were not renewed.
Because the $3.1 million appropriated for the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance cannot be touched, the spending measure, Saipan Local Law 17-9, provided that “in the event that the revenue collections do not meet the appropriated amount in this Act, the secretary of Finance shall allot each program an amount based on the percentage of the programs appropriation proportionately.”
This means that all the other 17 projects would have to share $226,000 only instead of the projected $354,000.
These projects also included the Flame Tree Arts Festival and its insurance, Saipan Zoning, the Agricultural Fair, the CNMI Boys Scouts Program, Liberation Day activities, the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council, Oleai Sports Complex maintenance, Pacific Mini Games, the Neighborhood Watch Program, bus shelters in Precincts 1 and 5, Public School System equipment maintenance, the Northern Marianas Trade Institute and the Saipan Fishing Derby.
$14,972 was transferred to Saipan Little League instead of $25,000 that was originally appropriated. The Flame Tree Arts Festival got $17,062 instead of $20,000; the Boy Scouts, $2,910 instead of $5,000; Liberation Day, $26,186 instead of $45,000; the municipal council, the sports complex, the Pacific Mini Games, the Pacific Mini Game’s bidding committee and the Saipan Fishing Derby got $5,819 each instead of $10,000; the neighborhood watch program got $8,729 instead of $15,000; and NMTI got $29,096 instead of $50,000.
No amount was transferred to Saipan Zoning, the Agricultural Fair, the bus shelters and the insurance for Flame Tree Festival.
The Department of Finance worksheet that Yumul provided this reporter showed how the funds were spent by the recipients.
Little League, which was allotted $14,972, spent $17,958 and incurred $800 in unpaid bills.
The Flame Tree Festival saved $102 because it only spent $16,960 of the $17,062 it received.
Saipan Zoning, which did not get anything ,spent $65,174.
The Liberation Day Committee overspent by $64,366.
Although the Pacific Mini Games used only $1,200 of the $5,819, its bidding committee over pent by $3,233.
SHEFA spent $2.8 million of the $3 million it received, thus saving $189,300.
Delegation Chairman Ray A. Tebuteb, R-Saipan, told his colleagues to set priorities.
For example, he said, “we need to focus on protecting and maintaining tourist sites.”
House Minority Leader Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero, R-Saipan., said each of them will have to evaluate the funding for community projects.
Lawmakers, he added, will have to talk to their constituents and inform them of the changes in priorities.
