Rep. Diego Vincent Camacho, center, with Reps. Blas Jonathan Attao and Marissa Flores attend a meeting in the House chamber.
REPRESENTATIVE Diego Vincent F. Camacho on Thursday reiterated the need to reduce the compensation of CNMI cannabis commissioners.
In an interview, Camacho said House Bill 23-21, which he introduced in March last year, is still with the House Ways and Means Committee.
The bill would amend Public Law 20-66 or the Taulamwaar Sensible CNMI Cannabis Act of 2018 to remove the provision that allows the commissioners to receive $55,000 per annum. According to H.B. 23-21, the commissioners should instead receive $60 for a full-day meeting and no more than $30 for a half-day or less meeting, provided that the compensation shall not exceed a maximum of $6,000 per year.
He brought up the subject in light of the cannabis commission’s fiscal year 2025 budget submission in the amount of $526,601. Of this amount, $275,000 is for the commissioners’ compensation.
On Jan. 9, 2024, Finance Secretary Tracy B. Norita certified that as of Dec. 15, 2023, the CNMI government had collected $517,868 in cannabis excise tax.
On Feb. 1, 2024, the House passed Camacho’s H.B. 23-89 to appropriate $380,529 in cannabis revenue for the commission, but for operation expenses only and the salaries of the managing director and the enforcement officers. The commissioners’ salaries were not included in the appropriation bill.
On Monday last week, the Senate passed its own version of H.B. 23-89, appropriating the entire amount of cannabis revenue of $517,868 as certified by the Finance secretary.
“What’s the use of establishing this industry if all the revenues go only to the regulatory body, and nothing goes to the general fund, except the gross revenue tax?” Camacho asked. He said the intent of the Legislature when it legalized cannabis in the CNMI is to earn revenue for the entire government.
Camacho noted that the cannabis commission’s budget request for FY 2025 is higher than the actual revenue collection as certified by the Finance secretary.
“Let’s wait until the cannabis industry generates revenue that is enough to pay the full salaries of both the commission’s personnel and operations, and contribute to the general fund besides the business gross revenue taxes,” Camacho said.
