Aubry Hocog
ROTA Mayor Aubry Hocog submitted to the Legislature a $3.8 million budget request for fiscal year 2025.
For the current fiscal year, Rota received $2.2 million. In his FY 2025 budget submission, Gov. Arnold I. Palacios proposed $2.4 million for Rota.
Of the amount that the Rota mayor requested, approximately $2.55 million will be allocated for personnel.
During a budget hearing on Thursday at the Rota Court House, Hocog said although her office was allocated funds for 110 employees, she presently has 106 employees only. Noting that the governor’s budget proposal listed 103 employees, the mayor said she is “humbly asking” the House Ways and Means Committee “to maintain the status quo to ensure that all of our employees will be maintained throughout the next fiscal year.”
Hocog also asked for flexibility and the suspension of all restrictions on the Rota municipality’s revolving accounts.
She also noted that the governor’s budget proposal does not include funding for operation. She said by allowing the expenditure authorities of the government agencies on Rota to have access to revolving funds, “we will be able to address our need for fuel, communications, office supplies, etc.”
Hocog likewise told the lawmakers that “we have had many of our island residents leaving our beautiful home because it has been too difficult and too expensive to live here.”
She said by July, an additional 70 island residents will also depart Rota.
She “humbly asked” for the continued collaboration among the executive branch, autonomous and federal agencies when sharing information and grant opportunities with all municipalities as well as sharing resources with all islands.
“Our people are resilient and can overcome this, but we have to work together,” she said.
She said they can come up with an action plan that will help address all the concerns and needs of their island. It will take time, but as long as there is transparency and leaders are communicating effectively she believes things will get done.
Hocog said with very limited resources available, the Rota municipal government still managed to provide services and address its outstanding liabilities. She said they will continue pursuing their goal, which is to build a stronger and vibrant community.
“But we want to do more and we cannot do that without the help of this body,” she told lawmakers.
Present in the budget hearing were the Ways and Means Committee chairman, Rep. Ralph N. Yumul, and members, Reps. Joseph Flores, Marissa Flores, Angelo Camacho, John Paul Sablan, Manny Gregory Castro, Julie Ogo and Patrick San Nicolas.
