CCC fiscal year expenses at $2.67M, down by $269,837

The Commonwealth Casino Commission’s total expenditures in fiscal year 2019 amounted to $2.68 million, which is a decrease of $269,837 compared to the $2.95 million it spent in fiscal year 2018, according to the commission’s Citizen-Centric Report released yesterday.

The report, which was prepared by the commission’s audit manager, Charlie O. Atalig, shows that the bulk of the $2.68 million expenditure went to salaries and benefits, $1.93 million.

CCC has 51 full-time employees across five divisions.

The report is a requirement under a new law, Public Law 20-83, which mandates each government department to prepare a Citizen-Centric Report to be submitted to the Office of the Public Auditor.

The CCC also reports that its travel expenses significantly went down. From the $221,898 spent for travel in fiscal year 2018, its travel expenses in fiscal year 2019 amounted to just $123,157—a decrease of $98,741.

CCC executive director Edward Deleon Guerrero had reported to the board at a meeting last Aug. 28 that the commission has not incurred any travel costs since Gov. Ralph DLG Torres declared austerity measures several months ago. That does not include the monthly travel expenses of Rota and Tinian commissioners to attend the commission’s meetings on Saipan.

In fiscal year 2019, $324,996 was spent for board compensation, $193,471 for operational expenses, and $109,000 for office rental.

In fiscal year 2018, of the $2.94 million spent for the fiscal year, $2,009,754 went to salaries and benefits, $315,799 went to operational expenses, $313,774 went to board compensation, and $85,956 went to office rental, according to the report.

The commission had a budget of $3,100,328 in fiscal year 2019; its budget was at $3,151,242 in fiscal year 2018. The budget came from CCC’s regulatory fee fund and other regulatory fees.

Public Law 19-24 created CCC’s regulatory fee fund, which established a flat annual license fee of $3 million with a 5% increase every five years for the next 20 years beginning Oct. 1, 2015.

The regulatory fee fund is the annual license fee for casino employees, key employees, gaming tables, and electronic gaming machines (slot machines).

Public Law 19-24 allows the assessment of a flat fee of $3 million rather than assessing individual license fees for employees, tables, and machines, according to the Citizen-Centric Report.

The other regulatory fees for fiscal year 2019 was $100,328 as compared to $151,242 for fiscal year 2018.