3,221 stimulus cards out in next few days

Over 3,000 CNMI stimulus cards have already arrived and people can expect to get them in the next few days, according to Division of Revenue and Taxation director Tracy Norita last Friday.

Speaking at the governor’s radio press briefing, Norita said a lot of people are still waiting to receive their stimulus cards and that the Governor’s Office is preparing a news release to announce the arrival of that big batch of cards.

In response to Saipan Tribune’s request for additional information, Finance Secretary David DLG Atalig said yesterday the 3,221 stimulus cards that arrived are worth $1,886,500 in all.

Norita said Friday that most of those cards are for the zero income filers that they had required to file a 2020 tax return.

“[After some] shipping delays and processing issues, the cards have finally arrived, and so we have those cards going out in the mail,” she said. “We thank people for their patience.”

Norita said that people should check their mail in the next few days but also allow their Treasury staff to get the cards out and for the normal processing of the post office. “So that’s some good news,” she said.

Eligible individuals are receiving $500 in stimulus card and $500 for each dependent.

Last August, Atalig disclosed that they have already distributed over 20,000 stimulus cards, but they are aware that there are still some who have not gotten their cards yet.

Finance earlier stated that they expect to release $25 million in all for 28,000 local stimulus cards using American Rescue Plan Act money.

Norita also disclosed Friday that they have additional payments for the Economic Impact Payments 3, also known as stimulus checks, and the local stimulus cards based on a 2020 tax return.

She said they are expecting to issue those additional payments in the next two to three weeks as they are working on system development to allow them to issue those.

“At the time of processing of either the EIP 3 or the stimulus card, that may have been based on a 2019 return. Subsequently, that taxpayer came in and file the 2020 return, or the 2020 return was still in process,” Norita said.

For people who fell into that bucket, Norita said they are anticipating to issue out those additional payments in the next two to three weeks.

Last April, Finance started releasing the EIP 3 checks after the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under the U.S. Treasury approved $85 million for the CNMI.