$101.35M budget proposed for FY23

The administration of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres has submitted to the Legislature a $101.35-million budget for the Commonwealth government and related agencies for fiscal year 2023 which is $2 million lower that his current fiscal year’s budget.

In his proposed budget submitted to the Legislature Friday, Torres said Finance Secretary David DLG Atalig reported gross budgetary resources of $150.41 million in fiscal year 2023. Minus debt service and NMI Settlement Fund obligations, the net resources available for appropriations is $101,352,567.

For the current fiscal year, the CNMI government’s budget is $103.3 million.

Torres

In his submission for fiscal year 2023, Torres said the CNMI’s gross budgetary resources are derived from taxes such as business gross revenue taxes, income taxes, excise taxes, and other taxes such as hotel, bar, and beautification taxes. Deducting debt service payments and NMI Settlement Fund obligations from the gross revenue, this will leave the CNMI government with $101.35 million that’s available for appropriation.

The governor said Atalig’s report of net available resources are projected as the result of the continual suspension of earmarks as stipulated in Public Law 22-08.

Torres said as COVID-19 cases slowly ease on the islands, his administration continues to work with community partners to navigate resources in revitalizing the economy and revamping the tourism industry, with the health and safety of the CNMI residents as his highest priority.

He said this has been achieved through the efforts of the COVID-19 Task Force and the development of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors.

The governor said one of the major projects of GCEA is the Public and Private Partnerships Program, whose goal is to maintain and rehabilitate tourism and recreational areas.

He said their team has also developed the travel bubble program, which established the CNMI as a safe destination for tourists.

Torres said this balanced budget submission, which was approved by the Governor’s Council last March 30, factors all positions, including reinstated furloughed positions authorized by Public Law 22-08 at 80% allocation to the general fund—with the exception of constitutionally-mandated salaries and all filled positions under the Judiciary and Legislature.

He said the remaining 20% of wages to maintain 80-hour work weeks will be covered under the American Rescue Plan Act spending plan.

With the exception of the judicial and legislative branches, the allocation for all other operations and the provision of government services to defray the cost of utilities, Active Employees’ Retirement and Health Insurance Employer Contributions will also be factored in the ARPA spending plan, Torres added.