Senate Vice President Jude U. Hofschneider, in an interview yesterday, said he will ask his colleagues to act on House Bill 17-73 which seeks to allow the Department of Finance “to classify new products for taxation purposes.”
Introduced by House Floor Leader George N. Camacho, Ind.-Saipan, H.B. 17-73 seeks to amend 4 CMC 1402 to remove the excise tax exemption for personal office computer equipment worth less than $5,000.
Camacho during the House session on Tuesday said laptops now cost less than $1,000.
Hofschneider, who chairs the Senate’s ad-hoc committee on tax policy and enforcement review, did not say whether he will recommend the passage or rejection of the House bill.
The Senate earlier made a tax hike proposal that it included in the House fee hike bill.
Rep. Eliceo D. Cabrera, R-Saipan, and House Ways and Means committee Chairman Ramon S. Basa, Covenant-Saipan, said they are against any tax hikes.
Hofschneider said that the Senate’s ad-hoc committee is now focusing on enforcing tax laws instead of introducing new taxes or imposing tax increases.
He said he and his colleagues in the Senate will review H.B. 17-73 during their session today at the Rota campus of Northern Marianas College at 1:30 p.m.
