Fiscal Affairs wants list of agencies that get non-general fund revenues

The Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee has asked the Department of Finance and Office of Management and Budget to provide it with a list of agencies that receive non-general fund revenues every year.

Committee chair Sen. Jude U. Hofschneider (R-Tinian) said these are funding sources—the CW fund, tobacco settlements, and Compact Impact reimbursements—that are earmarked for some agencies under the CNMI government.

Hofschneider, whose committee met with Finance Secretary Larrisa Larson and OMB special assistant and CIP administrator Virginia C. Villagomez on Tuesday, said they need the list to help them in appropriating the money for the fiscal year 2018 budget.

“There’s a total of approximately $5.8 million, almost $5.9 million, from the CW fund, tobacco settlement fund, and Compact Impact grant reimbursements. So we need an accounting of that in order to guide us to move forward in the distribution of funds,” said Hofschneider.

“As you may know, there are a lot of agencies out there that receive grants but there are also agencies that are in need of more funding and additional help. It would help us with the budget deliberations as we move forward and guide the committee on how to appropriate the amount.”

The committee also asked for a detailed report on the non-general fund revenue sources. “We asked them to provide the committee with

of agencies that are receiving that. We need a report for proper disbursement.”

Hofschneider said the report would also help them to equally distribute funds to agencies that need it most. “[The list] would help us for the budget deliberations as we are poised to adopt [House Concurrent Resolution 20-1] as indicated in the committee meeting.”

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres is proposing a budget of $145,260,075 for fiscal year 2018.

Torres actually submitted a total of $236,770,472 in identified budgetary resources—an over $24-million increase from fiscal year 2017. All adjustments totaled $91,510,397 and deducted rom the identified budgetary resources. The FY 2018 budget also increased by more than $3 million from the previous year.

Forty-five million dollars, from the adjustments, is set aside for the debt service on the settlement agreement, up by $12 million from $33 million last fiscal year.

Hofschneider said the initial meeting is to clarify how much is the mandated debt the CNMI government has to pay. “There are indicators where there’s an increase in business activities and revenues, but there’s also an increase in obligations.”

“So, we recognize that, that’s why they concluded with the 6 percent increase in the general fund revenue that is ready for appropriation.”

There’s also $4,854,044 from the Department of Public Lands in local revenue resources but he said that is separate since it came from a special fund of the agency. “This is treated separately since it is a [DPL] revenue. It is subject for appropriation but it can’t [be included] with the regular appropriation.