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Local bill seeks to fund Rota casino commish with $200K
Rep. Teresita Santos (R-Rota) has prefiled a local bill appropriating $200,000 for the Rota Casino Gaming Commission in fiscal year 2014, more than half of which—almost $134,000—are for the unpaid salaries of former and current commissioners and executive directors. There is currently no operating casino on Rota.
Santos prefiling House Local Bill 18-52 follows the Rota Municipal Council’s meeting with the Rota Casino Gaming Commission chair approving and transmitting the commission’s 2014 operational budget.
Of the total amount, $133,955 is for the salaries of six past and present commissioners and executive directors: $39,100 for Ephrem S. Taimanao; $37,500 for Laura I. Manglona; $21,340 for Kelvin O. Hocog; $17,130 for Abelina T. Mendiola; $10,965 for Vicente M. Atalig; and $7,920 for Alfredo Antolin.
The other $20,000 is for KNT charter flights between Japan and Rota, and another $20,000 for the Torres Brothers Law Firm.
The bill also appropriates $14,545 for office supplies and operation; $10,000 for communication; and $1,500 for the website.
While there is no Rota casino industry to speak of, Santos earlier said that Rota continues to incur debt for the commission’s salaries, supplies, telephone, power and water bills, among other things.
Right now, the only operating casino in the CNMI is the Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino on Tinian. Saipan is also on its way to having a casino after yesterday’s submission of two applications to exclusively develop a casino resort on Saipan.
