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Where are we in 40 years?
As I was driving along Beach Road in San Jose and Susupe, I saw placards that read “40 years, no tax.” A spark in my brain said that Best Sunshine won’t pay taxes for the next 40 years. Then what? Casinos will be built, mega resorts will be in, investors, gamblers, tourists of all kinds will be attracted. This situation will lead to a mix of all kinds of people, particularly people who are taking the opportunity to get rich quick.
While Sunshine will do business without tax, the CNMI will need to provide all that is needed for people to live well in the community, using available sources of revenue to maintain the infrastructure and all the services needed by the people in the community.
Now let us see the changes that could happen. From a quiet, peaceful, rural, friendly community, we will become a highly developed, urban community. What could happen is the once peaceful, quiet, sleepy community will turn into a place of crime. We will need to strengthen and expand our police, health care, education, public utilities and other government services.
To provide these services to the community, we’ll need money to hire people and build infrastructures. Well need lots of money to run the community with the new sets of needs brought about by a highly urban community. We can project what is to happen in 40 years. Are we going to be better off or are we going to be miserable? The real losers are our children.
Fe Calixterio
As Terlaje, Saipan
