THIS week the Senate is expected to adopt Senate Resolution 23-9, which urges Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and the Department of Finance “to utilize all qualified human resources to conduct…tax enforcement and collection activities.”
Authored by Sen. Celina R. Babauta, S.R. 23-9 states that the CNMI government has yet to collect “$121 million in outstanding taxes.”
According to the resolution, in order to “maximize and augment” the government’s tax enforcement and collection activities, the governor and the secretary of Finance “should utilize the skills of former or retired tax enforcers and collectors.”
The resolution stated that these tax collectors will maximize collections “because they can conduct tax enforcement and collections and train existing or new personnel at the same time.”
Last month Finance Secretary Tracy Norita said the CNMI government had $121.4 million in total outstanding collectibles, but Variety was told last week that a significant portion of the amount was “uncollectible.”
Another Senate resolution
For its part, the House of Representatives on Friday adopted Senate President Edith Deleon Guerrero’s Senate Joint Resolution 23-2, which urges Finance to collect “$25.3 million in outstanding collectibles.”
Those who voted yes were Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez, Vice Speaker Joel Camacho, Reps. Blas Jonathan Attao, Roman Benavente, Marissa Flores, Vincent S. Aldan, Julie Ogo, Roy Ada, Patrick San Nicolas, Vicente C. Camacho and Denita Yangetmai.
Those who voted no were Reps. Manny Gregory Castro, Angelo Camacho, Diego Vincent Camacho, Joseph Flores, Malcom Omar, and John Paul Sablan.
Rep. Ralph N. Yumul abstained.
House Floor Leader Edwin Propst and Rep. Thomas J. Manglona were excused.
Castro said although the “intention of the joint resolution is good … I feel it is already within the governor’s prerogative to get it done. I believe it is already their job,” referring to the administration.
Sen. Celina R. Babauta speaks during a confirmation hearing conducted last week by the Senate Executive Appointment and Governmental Investigations Committee, which she chairs.
