Senate fiscal committee considers bill letting port revenues support airport as CPA faces shortfall

The Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee on May 6, 2025 in the senate chamber heard testimony on House Bill 24‑17, a proposal to amend CMC subsection 2174 so airport and seaport revenues would not be legally restricted to airport‑only and seaport‑only spending. Commonwealth Ports Authority Executive Director Esther Ara told the committee the agency seeks the change to give CPA flexibility to cover airport operating shortfalls amid continuing low flight activity and depleted federal pandemic aid.

Why it matters: CPA operates six port facilities that the authority says generate the territory's international air and sea traffic. Ara told the committee that a temporary landing‑fee and terminal rental reduction program—kept in place at the governor’s request through September 2025—reduced projected airport income by roughly 47 percent, from about $12,000,000 to about $6,400,000, while CPA’s estimated annual requirement for airports was about $16,500,000 to cover debt service, personnel and operating costs. Ara said CPA currently has roughly two months of cash to cover personnel and operations.

Committee members pressed CPA on finances, contingency plans and limits on any transfers. David Dimupana, the legislature’s fiscal analyst, highlighted bond indentures that pledge seaport revenues for outstanding seaport bonds and asked the agency to clarify which seaport funds would actually be available for transfer without breaching those…