Senate fiscal committee hears Marianas Visitors Authority ask for millions to stabilize air service and boost tourism

The Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee convened in the Senate chamber in August 2025 to review the administration’s FY2026 budget projections and to hear detailed presentations from the Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA), the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands (HANMI), and the Commonwealth Ports Authority (CPA) about tourism and airline service challenges affecting hotel‑occupancy tax revenue.

The session matters because revenue from the hotel‑occupancy tax funds a large share of MVA’s work promoting the Marianas; unstable air service and weak demand are already reducing collections and, officials said, threaten hotel operations and local jobs if not addressed before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

Committee chairman and members opened the hearing by noting that the governor submitted a FY2026 proposal in April and that the House transmitted House Concurrent Resolution No. 24‑2 (HCR 24‑2) — which defines general revenue and approves resources for FY2026 under Article 3, Section 9(a) of the Commonwealth constitution and 1 CMC Division 7 — to the Senate on July 15, 2025. Secretary of Finance Tracy B. Norida told the committee that “the governor’s proposal remains the same” and that finance staff were prepared to answer questions on revenue categories.

MVA acting managing director Judy Torres summarized three funding scenarios MVA developed for FY2026 and described the external and local factors driving the…