Tudela seeks a share of FY 2015 poker fee revenue for her office

The Saipan Mayor’s Office plans to ask Rep. Ramon A. Tebuteb (Ind-Saipan) to set aside some funds for it from two appropriations bills that will divvy up next fiscal year’s poker fee revenue.

Saipan Mayor Marian DLG. Tudela said that both House local bills 18-63 and 18-64, which will appropriate $3.264 million in projected revenue from poker fees in fiscal year 2015, do not include any appropriation for her office.

“We received [copies of both bills] for commentary and we will be asking for some of the funds to be included for the Mayor’s Office,” Tudela said.

She said the funds will be used to purchase heavy equipment or for heavy equipment rentals so her office can continue performing its duties such as clearing secondary roads, tourist areas, and more.

According to Tebuteb’s Oct. 3 letter to the Saipan Mayor’s Office, HLB 18-63 seeks to appropriate $3.264 million in revenues that will be collected from poker fees in fiscal year 2015 under Saipan Local Law 11-2.

HLB 18-64 seeks to appropriate additional collections under Saipan Local Law 18-07.

Tebuteb stated that the actual projected revenue from poker fees is $3.672 million but both bills will only appropriate $3.264 million.

HLB 18-63 states that $3 million will go to the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance program and $100,000 will be used for SHEFA operations. Some $25,000 will go to the Saipan Little League; $15,000 for the Annual Flame Tree Arts Festival; $5,000 for the Agricultural Fair; $20,000 for the enforcement operations of the Saipan Zoning Office; $20,000 for Liberation Day activities; $50,000 for the Cultural Village Tipieew; $300,000 equally distributed to each precinct; and $162,000 for the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation operational funds.

It also includes $75,000 for the construction of the Fitme Place Road on Navy Hill and inner road construction from the Garapan Fishing Base north to the Children’s Park by the Carolinian Affairs Office, under the expenditure authority of the Department of Public Works secretary.

HLB 18-64 will appropriate $264,000, with the delegation’s operational funds getting $99,000; $30,000 for the repair and maintenance of a basketball court and social hall in Precinct 2; $30,000 to construct bus shelters and road bumps in Precinct 5; $30,000 to renovate the health center in Precinct 4; and $75,000 for the Fitme Place Road on Navy Hill and inner road construction from the Garapan Fishing Base north to the Children’s Park by the Carolinian Affairs Office.

Copies of the local bills were also given to the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council and the Northern Islands Mayor’s Office.