Teno vetoes 2 local bills

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has vetoed two local bills — one that would have granted unlimited reprogramming authority to the Tinian mayor over funds generated from casino revenues, and the other would have appropriated close to a million dollars from Managaha landing fees.

The Tinian measure, passed by the local legislative delegation early last month, had sought to provide flexibility to Mayor Francisco M. Borja to use the money set aside for specific purposes under the Tinian Casino Gaming Control Act for other needs of the island municipality during the current fiscal year.

But the governor, in rejecting the proposal, said this would be a violation of the law and it would have waived provisions of Planning and Budgeting Act.

“Although I understand and sympathize with the Mayor’s need for flexibility, I, unfortunately, cannot approve this measure because the application of a Commonwealth-wide Act… cannot be waived by a local bill,” said Mr. Tenorio.

The chief executive likewise nixed a bill passed by the Saipan and Northern Islands legislative delegation that had sought to earmark revenues from the fees charged to passengers of the ferry service to Managaha Island.

He said that Public Law 11-64 imposing such a fee specifically establishes a special account that restricts appropriation of that income — a condition that must be clarified with the Division of Public Lands first before the funds are allocated.

Public lands officials have disclosed to Mr. Tenorio that these funds may already be obligated for maintenance of the popular tourist spot under the agreement with the current tenant.

A provision of the law, Section 8, defers to rights under contracts existing at the time of passage of the law, according to the governor.

“Until such time that usage of the landing fees, and the impact of Section 8 of PL 11-64 is clarified, the Division of Public Lands believes that it may be a violation of their duties and obligations under the lease to expend the funds collected for landing fees on the projects enumerated by [the bill],” he said.

The legislation, approved by SNILD early last month, would have distributed over $979,000 in revenues from the landing fees among several projects pitched by Saipan lawmakers.

These included the proposed Saipan Cultural and Performing Arts Center, the CNMI Museum, the Saipan Youth Program, canoe culture promotion, an environmental textbook, Liberation Day festivities, Junior Statesmen of American program and the Close-Up foundation.

It would have also set aside $100,000 for the Division of Public Lands, as well as some funds for both the Indigenous Affairs and Carolinian Affairs offices and the Division of Fish and Wildlife for marine research and restoration.