By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

SENATOR Judith Guthertz, D-Mangilao, is seeking the repeal of public laws that authorize tax relief and fee exemptions which she said partly contribute to the government of Guam’s financial losses.
“For many years, the financial planning of this government has been out of touch with the reality of resources available. And as each day passes without concrete action, it would appear that our government is inching toward collapse. Something must be done now,” she said.
Guthertz wrote to Revenue and Taxation director Art Ilagan yesterday, requesting a list of the government’s tax break and fee exemption programs that have been made available to specific individuals, industries and business entities.
“I believe that these exemptions/reductions, as benevolent as they may be in intent, are partly responsible for the current fiscal problems in our government,” Guthertz stated in her letter to Ilagan.
Guthertz asked Ilagan to provide her a list of all public laws that authorize tax relief and fee exemptions that “strangle the financial base” of the government. Guthertz wants these laws to be either modified or repealed.
She also asked Ilagan to recommend measures that can “work best in terms of the interest of our people.”
Democratic senators continue to pound the administration with questions about the government of Guam’s financial crisis.
They have been lambasting the Republican administration for allegedly overstating the revenue forecast, even taking their Republican colleagues to task for adopting the administration’s projection into the budget law.
Guthertz has revived a bill—originally introduced by former Sen. Benjamin Cruz—proposing the readjustment of the 2007 budget from $457 million to a level that reflects the amount that the government is actually capable of raising.
Meanwhile, Sen. Rory Respicio, D-Agana Heights, yesterday introduced Bill 42 to require any official to take oaths when testifying on fiscal matters at legislative proceedings.
“The law already gives the speaker, committee chairmen and the sergeant-at-arms the authority to swear in witnesses. But administering the oath is not mandatory. I’m proposing that it be required when fiscal matters are discussed so that senators can be certain that the financial information they receive is correct,” Respicio said.
“It has been said several times that the administration is on target with its revenue collections. But what is the actual number in the target?” he asked.
He said administration officials have been giving conflicting figures pertaining to the government of Guam’s debts and deficit.
Respicio also defended his proposal for Vice Speaker Eddie Calvo, R-Maite, to create a bipartisan subcommittee that would look into government debts.
“I know you’re thinking, ‘God, another committee, more government’. But the creation of this subcommittee to determine the GovGuam debt is really simple. Eddie has the authority to do this under the Legislature’s standing rules,” Respicio said.
He said the U.S. Congress forms temporary select committees or subcommittees— distinguished from standing committees—that examine specific issues.
Respicio recalled that in the Democrat-led 27th Legislature, he created a subcommittee on Open Skies under his committee on youth and senior citizens, federal, foreign and military affairs, human and natural resources.
“At the very least, you’ll have, hopefully, a bipartisan group with only the responsibility to determine our GovGuam’s cumulative deficit and its impact on the overall debt,” Respicio said.