Fitial OKs $4.75M for several projects

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial has signed into law a bill that appropriates $4.75 million to the Saipan scholarship program and numerous other projects.

Under the Saipan law, the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance Program will receive $3 million. Another $1.3 million will go to sixteen different projects within Saipan. The remaining $450,000 will fund the startup operations of the Rota Gaming Commission—to be repaid to Saipan in one year.

The funds come from revenue the Saipan lawmakers project will be collected from poker machine licenses during the 2009 fiscal year.

Rep. Tina Sablan, the only lawmaker who voted against the Saipan measure, expressed her disappointment with the enactment of the bill.

“That appropriations bill makes a mockery of any claim that either the Administration or the Legislature might make in FY 2009 that we have done everything we possibly can to cut wasteful government spending and that we have no choice but to slash people’s salaries yet again,” said Sablan.

The governor’s budget proposal for FY2009 includes several measures designed to cut the government’s payroll costs, including a biweekly shutdown of government offices and the suspension of holiday pay for government employees.

In addition to $3 million for scholarship and $450,000 for the Rota casino operations, the new measure appropriates:

-$100,000 for the SHEFA operations;

-$45,000 for the 2009 Liberation Day activities;

-$50,000 for the CNMI Little League;

-$25,000 for the Fishing Derby;

-$20,000 for the Agricultural Fair;

-$15,000 for the Flame Tree Arts Festival;

-$75,000 for the Saipan Zoning Board;

-$30,000 for the architectural and engineering design for, and construction of, the Anthony T. Benavente Baseball Field on Navy Hill;

-$111,000 for road improvement and paving at Gloria Drive on Navy Hill;

-$200,000 for road paving and drainage improvement at Egigi Road, Piligro Lane, Sea Coast Lane, Rota Place, and Orhopay Place;

-$100,000 for the construction of a pavilion, purchase of children’s playground equipment, and improvements to make the Capital Hill Children’s Park accessible to persons with disabilities;

-$200,000 for road paving at Gangoche Road to Pika Road in Precinct 1;

-$200,000 for road paving and drainage improvements and renovations of unspecified public facilities in Precinct II;

-$10,000 for the improvement of public facilities at Pakpak Beach Park;

-$21,000 for repairs and maintenance of Dandan Elementary School; and

-$100,000 for the Northern Marianas Trades Institute.

In related news, Fitial signed into law a separate measure distributing $166,000 of lapsed funds from a previous local appropriation. Under the local act, the funds will be appropriated as follows:

$15,000 for the Northern Islands field trip;

$5,600 for the payment of Marianas Cablevision for running the Chamorro/Carolinian Language Commission TV talk show from February 2008 through May 2008;

$20,000 for the construction of covered walkways at Oleai Elementary School;

$19,000 for the construction of the San Vicente Headstart classroom;

$21,244 for the Northern Mariana Islands Museum of Culture and Arts;

$20,000 for the procurement of tanita scales for the Public School System;

$15,000 to upgrade the water line system by installing a check valve in Tanapag;

$25,000 for paving of parking area at Pakpak Beach Park;

$5,000 for the renovation of the House of Manhoben in Chalan Kanoa;

$15,000 for the Tetset Konferensian Chamorro; and

$5,000 for the annual Chief Aghurubw celebration.