Delegation approves $18,000 appropriation for 2nd senatorial district, grants mayor expenditure authority

The Senate delegation met Dec. 27 in the Senate Chamber at Capitol Hill, Saipan, and passed House Local Bill 23-71, an $18,000 appropriation from revenues collected from broker fees for the 2nd senatorial district.

At a public-comment slot before final action, Mayor Edwin Piodun testified in favor of the bill, saying, "After reviewing the bill, I'm pleased to express my support for the appropriation and its underlying intent," and suggested reallocating $12,000 to the mayor's discretionary account "instead of operations" to address local obligations. He also said the TMCU Gaming Control Commission was facing financial difficulties and that funds designated for the commission were important to address those shortfalls.

On the floor, Representative San Nicolas offered an amendment to the bill specifying that the expenditure authority for certain line items in section 2 and section 3 be vested in the mayor of Tinian. The amendment was seconded, adopted by the delegation, and the main motion carried. The clerk recorded the final vote as three ayes (Senator Cruz; Chairman Hofschneider; Representative Sunny Glass). The bill passed in the form of delegation draft 1.

The delegation also adopted related procedural actions earlier in the session, including placing the bill on the day's calendar by suspending pertinent rules and recording committee and public testimony in the standing committee report.

With passage, the bill moves forward as adopted by the delegation in draft form; the transcript records no additional fiscal or implementation details beyond the appropriation amount and the mayor's recommendation for reallocating $12,000. If further executive or implementing guidance is required, that would be recorded in subsequent administrative actions or committee follow-up.