HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The Department of Revenue and Taxation needs $17.3 million for fiscal 2024, an increase of $1.34 million, mainly for personnel and operations, the department’s leader said at a legislative budget hearing Friday at the Guam Congress Building in Hagåtña.
Director Dafne Mansapit-Shimizu broke down the budget request by categories and said the bulk of funding would support personnel costs, which take up 78% of the request, or $13.45 million.
“Contractual (pay) is right behind it at $2.1 million, or about 12% of our budget. We do have our building rent, which is inclusive of power, and that is $1.37 million and that is about 8% of our budget. … Remaining amounts for miscellaneous equipment, utilities and supplies represent about 2% of our budget,” Manasapit-Shimizu said.
Mansapit-Shimizu said the $1.3 million a year lease on the Rev and Tax offices in Barrigada is expiring in September and the agency will seek new office space. The long-term plan is for the department to have its own building.
DRT Deputy Director Marie Lizama said the budget request also included a separate appropriation for the Banking and Insurance Fund.
“We are requesting for nearly $400,000 for the Banking and Insurance Fund. Now, historically, the fund has been included as appropriated to fund operational items, however, our agency is requesting for this to be appropriated separately this fiscal year,” Lizama said.
Looking ahead, Lizama said DRT’s outlook aligned with IRS goals and objectives as well as the local agency’s strategic plan for fiscal 2022-2026.
“There are several areas and what we did was we kind of localized it, … specific to Guam. Under people, we are going to address, or we need to focus on long-term workforce planning, recruitment, hiring and retention, particularly for those positions which require technical expertise. We want to include training,” Lizama said.
Training includes digital assets, she said, which the IRS is now monitoring.
“We will engage or we are scheduled to have additional IRS training for the Collections Branch and we are going to have actual IRS training or additional IRS training for the Audit and Examination Branch,” Lizama said.
DRT officials also want to foster an inclusive and empowered workforce to strengthen relationships with stakeholders and external partners such as the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and the Guam Chamber of Commerce.
Jeremy Del Castillo, left, from Dededo, is helped at the income tax counter by Christina Roberto on March 1, 2023, at the Department of Revenue and Taxation in Barrigada Heights.
