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Poker funds tapped for sand filtration and Liberation Day
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Posted on Aug 14 2005
The government is tapping poker monies to fund a major filtration project and the annual Liberation Day festival.
Gov. Juan N. Babauta approved Saipan Local Bill 14-41, which aims to appropriate $20,000 as matching funds for the A&E design in the rehabilitation of the Airport Sand Filtration System using revenue from poker and amusement machines as set forth in Saipan Local Law 11-2.
The bill also amends P.L. 11-2 to provide “a continuing appropriation” of $100,000 for each fiscal year for the Liberation Day festival.
This provision, Babauta said, will provide guaranteed funding for the annual celebration of the July 4 festivities.
At the same time, Babauta reiterated his call on the Saipan and Northern Island Legislative Delegation to refrain from appropriating any more funds from Saipan Local Law 11-2 “until all prior financial obligations funded by this law are fully paid.”
In December 2004, the delegation had also moved to temporarily block any legislation that would tap into the poker and pachinko revenues following advice from the Department of Finance that the funds have been depleted.
It then postponed action on at least seven local bills, including SLB 14-41, that identify poker fees as the funding source.
Meantime, SLB 14-41, which became Saipan Local Law 14-23, also re-appropriates $780,344 from SLL 14-22 (funding for Precinct 1 road projects) for five projects: the 2005 Liberation Day Festival ($100,000), Mayor of Northern Islands operations ($30,000), Precinct 1 road paving and survey cost ($550,344), San Antonio Elementary School Classrooms ($50,000), and Dandan Elementary School outdoor stage ($50,000).
