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Senate: Saipan casino survey tentatively set for Nov. 4
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Posted on Sep 17 2011
By Haidee V. Eugenio
Reporter
Reporter
A survey seeking to ask registered Saipan voters whether they want casino gambling on island has been tentatively set for the Nov. 4 Citizenship Day holiday, as agreed to by the Senate leadership and Northern Marianas College students under the current issues class of Sam McPhetres on Thursday night.
Sen. Ralph Torres (R-Saipan) said yesterday that senators will be providing logistical support to the NMC students who will conduct the actual survey as part of their school projects.
He said they expect no more than $5,000 to be spent, and this won’t come out of the general fund but through donations. These include expenses for the ballot or survey form, gasoline for vehicles to be used by the students, and food for the students.
Torres, along with other senators, said NMC students are now devising ways to also poll absentee voters.
“The students will also be inviting the Office of the Public Auditor and the Office of the Attorney General to become observers during the day of the survey,” Torres said.
The Senate tapped NMC students when the House leadership made it clear that it won’t act on a Senate bill seeking a special election to ask voters whether they want to legalize casino gambling on Saipan.
McPhetres’ current issues classes have been involved in surveys and studies of the hottest issues in the community, including the reunification of the CNMI and Guam, the impact of the federal minimum wage increases on CNMI people’s living conditions, primary causes of domestic violence, addiction to poker gambling, and impact of stray animals.
House members supporting a Saipan casino legislation said this is one industry that can help sustain the local economy at this time of partial payless paydays, work hour cuts, and joblessness, but the Senate leadership said the decision to allow such industry should rest with voters.
