An initial portion of the fund, which is free to be used, is paid to the communes for operating and investment.
This initial non-allocated portion may not be less than 70% of the fund’s annual resources, with the exception of unused appropriations carried over from previous years.
It is distributed among the communes, partly in proportion to the number of their inhabitants and partly taking into account their expenses.
The population criterion is involved in at least 30% of the amount of the non-allocated portion of the fund.
The burdens of the communes are assessed according to objective and measurable criteria taking into account in particular:
1° The surface area of each commune;
2° The number of pupils enrolled in primary schools;
3° The geographical distance from the island of Tahiti;
4° The dispersion of a commune over several islands or atolls.
The local finance committee specifies the methods for distributing this first share. It may use additional criteria as long as they are representative of communal expenses.