SAIPAN — Governor David M. Apatang is establishing a Governor’s Revenue Council to help develop the FY 2027 revenue forecast that will serve as the basis for the administration’s FY 2027 budget proposal, and has invited a group of government and private-sector stakeholders to participate.
In a memorandum released this afternoon, Apatang invited participation from senior officials and key stakeholders including Finance Secretary Tracy B. Norita, OMB’s Virginia Villagomez, Commerce Secretary Remedio C. Mafnas, Labor Secretary Leila F. Staffler, Office of Grants Management’s Epiphanio Cabrera, MVA Executive Director Jamika Taijeron, CEDA Executive Director Derek Sasamoto, Michael Sablan of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors, House Ways and Means Chairman John Paul Sablan, Senate Fiscal Affairs Chairman Jude U. Hofschneider, and Saipan Chamber of Commerce President Joe C. Guerrero.
Apatang said the council is being formed in response to fiscal reform policies submitted by the Fiscal Reform Committee on November 30, 2025, and will play a central role in shaping revenue assumptions for the upcoming budget cycle.
The memo outlines core work areas for the council, including reviewing revenue, expenditure, and program reports from the Department of Finance, the Office of Management & Budget, and the Office of Grants Management; business statistics and economic reports from the Departments of Commerce and Labor; economic data from the Marianas Visitors Authority and the Commonwealth Economic Development Authority; and multiple revenue scenarios to support budget formulation.
The initial meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday, January 21, at 10 a.m., in the Governor’s Conference Room.
