Tinian delegation begins work on 2012 budget; OKs 2 bills

Tinian Mayor Ramon Dela Cruz zeroed out funding for the Tinian Casino Gaming Control Commission and asked for more than $580,000 for the Office of the Mayor in his proposed fiscal year 2012 budget of some $2 million. But Tinian Legislative Delegation chair Sen. Jude Hofschneider (R-Tinian) said yesterday the panel will decide on the island’s budget after affected agencies are heard.

Dela Cruz, in his letter to the delegation, believes that the commission will submit their 2012 budget request and revenue projection directly to the delegation and the Tinian Municipal Council.

The Tinian delegation discussed briefly the island’s 2012 budget during yesterday’s session wherein they also passed two local bills now headed for Gov. Benigno R. Fitial’s desk.

But the lawmakers decided to hold off further discussion on the budget until after a meeting on Tinian on Thursday.

Acting Tinian Casino Gaming Control Commission chair Ignacio Quichocho did not want to comment yesterday on the mayor’s budget plan.

Dela Cruz said a substantial amount of his proposed budget will be used to pay outstanding debt. These include payments to the NMI Retirement Fund, vendors and retroactive salaries. The budget request also includes funding for the Tinian Municipal Scholarship and medical referral.

“Both programs experienced funding shortfalls in 2011 and will require a more consistent funding source to ensure its sustainability,” Dela Cruz said. “Finally, it is also imperative that funds be available for operations to subsidize our departments in the event that the CNMI budget allotments are reduced.”

During yesterday’s session, the delegation passed Rep. Trenton Conner’s (R-Tinian) House Local Bill 17-46, with amendment.

Conner’s bill appropriates $35,000 from the developer infrastructure tax collected on Tinian for the use of the Department of Public Works to repair the “unpaved and frequently used roads in Marpo Heights, Marpo Heights 2 and Carolinas.”

The delegation also passed Conner’s HLB 17-59, appropriating $41,813 from poker and pachinko slot machines’ local license fees for Tinian patients and school expenses.

Of the total amount, $27,000 is appropriated for certain Tinian patients’ monthly subsistence allowance, and $14,813 for Tinian Elementary School for expenses related to a Chamorro Language Competition held in Guam.