THE House Ways and Means Committee will hold budget hearings during the first week of June, beginning on Rota.
In an interview on Thursday, Committee Chair John Paul P. Sablan said they intend to give the leaders of all the senatorial districts the opportunity to participate in the budget process.
In particular, he said they want to hear directly from each mayor about their priorities, plans, and concerns for the fiscal year 2026 budget.
“We will have to start with the leaders of the First Senatorial District,” Sablan said, referring to Rota.
In April, Gov. Arnold I. Palacios submitted a $179.7 million budget for FY 2026. The projected total identified revenue, the governor said, is more than $20 million above the FY 2025 budget.
Sablan noted that the governor still has the opportunity to submit a revised fiscal year budget by July 1, 2025. In the meantime, he said, the committee will carry out its due diligence in the budget process by consulting municipal leaders.
In his transmittal letter to the Legislature’s presiding officers on April 1, 2025, the governor said: “We encourage all members to collaborate closely with the Administration to thoroughly evaluate existing revenue streams and identify opportunities for innovative, sustainable revenue-generating measures.”
