By Gerardo R. Partido
Variety News Staff

THE Guam Chamber of Commerce made it clear yesterday that it would be opposed to the imposition of new taxes.
The administration on Wednesday warned that it would need to raise more revenue if it is to avert a financial meltdown for GovGuam.
Gov. Felix P. Camacho has proposed an immediate increase in fees to meet the cost of GovGuam service via legislative action, as opposed to a lengthy adjudication process.
Camacho also wants the immediate restoration of GovGuam’s full tax base by removing exemptions and credits.
In a statement released yesterday, Chamber of Commerce chairman Stephen C. Ruder said the business group is strongly against “any and all proposals” to increase taxes.
Instead, the Chamber of Commerce is urging the government to fully exhaust all collection efforts of current taxes before it gives further consideration to any type of a tax increase.
According to Ruder, the Chamber of Commerce has also submitted recommendations to the administration for inclusion in the governor’s deficit elimination and fiscal recovery plan.
“We are in continued dialogue with the governor and the Guam Legislature regarding our recommendations which are outlined in our letter to the GEDCA (Guam Economic Development and Commerce Authority) administrator dated Jan. 31, 2007,” Ruder said.
Among the recommendations of the Chamber of Commerce are the following:
* The outsourcing of all bid and project administration responsibilities for capital improvement projects to private companies;
* The privatization of the Port of Guam’s terminal operations and the outsourcing of certain government services such as plumbing maintenance, pest control services, etc., for all GovGuam departments and agencies outlined in the Chamber’s 2002 Economic Summit papers;
* The privatization of the Government of Guam’s assets;
* The timely reimbursement of federal expenditures;
* Revamp the entire MIP System; and
* Cease COLA payments for those retirees who benefit from both the Hay Study Pay Adjustment and the $5,440 increase.
The Chamber of Commerce also pointed out that the Department of Revenue and Taxation lacks the support it needs to collect taxes on federal contracts.
Ruder said all avenues should be explored within the federal grants system to hire retired IRS agents, whose sole responsibility would be to monitor federal contracts to assure the collection of all taxes, which the Government of Guam is entitled to receive.