The Department of Finance is requesting a $13.6M budget from the legislature, contrasting the governor’s proposed $7.7M. 

Secretary of Finance Tracy Norita said, "I am just glad that my fellow colleagues here…who have been in the Dept. of Finance for a very long time are finally afforded a platform to speak about our needs, our operations, and the central processing plant of the government."

The most requested need was an increase to current staff salaries.

"45% of them [staff] would like their pay to be adjusted just like many other civil servants in the central government, they feel like pay is something that needs to be addressed," Norita said. 

The department’s directors shared their employee’s most critical needs with lawmakers amid the overspending of American Rescue Plan funds by the previous administration.

CNMI Treasurer Connie Agulto said, "The operations keep going down. At this level of 3,500 I can not really operate to issue out taxes, mail them out, it takes at least 20,000 or more every year."

Another division head shared she won’t have enough to even buy tissue and water for the 30 employees in her office. Customs and Border Security also making their asks for enough funds to maintain equipment and improve facilities. 

Customs Director Jose Mafnas said, "It is cheaper to deal with any contraband at the ports of entry, like drugs, it is cheaper to deal with it at the ports of entry rather than when it reaches out inland."

The legislative committee reserved questions about the American Rescue Plan Act funds for a later time.