HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Lawmakers on Monday voted to roll back an extra $20,000 that would have gone to each of their 15 senatorial offices next fiscal year and instead voted to give the money to the Guam Police Department.
Republican Sen. Joanne Brown led the charge to move the money, totaling about $300,000, after questioning the increased funding for senatorial offices last week.
“I don’t think we’re being responsible in this budget knowing full well (there are) some critical operations in this government that we are not funding that are going to be knocking on our door relatively soon,” Brown said. “And I think it’s hard to speak about being responsible financial leaders when we ourselves are rushing to make sure we get our piece of the pie before anybody else does.”
GPD could hopefully hire more officers to fight the island’s increasing crime rates, she added, pointing to the ambulance that was stolen just over the weekend.
Legislative Office of Finance and Budget Director Stephen Guerrero said last week that the money was provided after some senators had requested the increase. But according to Brown on Monday, none of the six members of the minority Republican caucus said they had asked for the money.
Brown asked Guerrero who requested the additional money, and Democratic appropriations chair Sen. Joe San Agustin interjected.
“Last year, Sen. Brown, the $20,000 was given,” he said. “And I advised my colleagues, everyone here, that … I’m going to put it back on again, and nobody objected to it. If you want, you can take it off. I mean, I have no problem with that.”
Democratic majority senatorial offices are getting a total of $3.3 million this fiscal year, according to OFB’s Guerrero, including $374,000 for the office of Speaker Therese Terlaje and $242,000 a year for the other eight Democratic senators and their committees.
Republican minority offices are getting a total of $1.7 million in the fiscal year altogether, with each of the six Republican senators getting $144,000.
Republican minority leader Sen. Frank Blas Jr. stood in support of the amendment, stating it gave lawmakers a chance to “put our money where our mouth is.”
Blas said GPD Chief Stephen Ignacio said last week that the department was going to use additional money from the Legislature to pay for overtime and fuel for police vehicles.
Blas added, “$300,000 can basically provide you five more police officers (at) least for the next fiscal year, or to … pay overtime in an area that’s very critically needed.”
Democratic Sen. Dwayne San Nicolas said he did not ask for the extra money and applauded Brown for her proposal but couldn’t support it.
“I could use $20,000,” he said. “I’m pretty sure my colleagues could use $20,000.”
He said, “This is an investment in our own office and in our own branch of government. I think we’ve been very good (at) dealing with everybody else’s issues, and we tend to neglect our side of the house. And we are … equally tasked to run this government.”
Republican Sen. Tom Fisher supported the amendment and took the opportunity to take a jab at any Democratic lawmakers who may have asked for the additional money while also opposing his push to pay legislative staff overtime.
“So rather than feathering our own nests and making ourselves happy and getting a new sofa and big TVs, let’s help the people of Guam by dedicating this money to the Guam Police Department,” Fisher said.
Public safety chair and Democratic Sen. Chris Barnett said he supported the amendment given the great need at the police department. Though he said he had not requested additional money for his office, he fired back at Sen. Fisher.
“I don’t think anybody in this body was planning to use any of that money to buy love seats or Jacuzzis or big screen TVs or whatever the picture that some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to paint. We do have needs here in the Legislature. We’re trying to get a mold assessment in for this historic building. (And) we need a new air conditioner,” he said.
Speaker Terlaje added that the extra funding for senatorial offices in the budget was a “mystery” to her and that she was glad it was being questioned.
Sens. Barnett, Blas, Brown, Fisher, Chris Duenas, Jesse Lujan, Sabina Perez, Amanda Shelton and Telo Taitague and Vice Speaker Tina Muña Barnes and the speaker voted in favor of handing the money over to GPD.
Sens. San Nicolas, San Agustin and Will Parkinson did not.
Sen. Roy Quinata was not present for the vote.
Without the money, the Legislature will still get an extra $600,000 in their roughly $8.7 million budget next year. The increase will cover the cost of a new air-conditioning system and other equipment for the Guam Congress Building along with a new legislative committee.
Senators in budget session Monday, Aug. 28, 2023, at the Guam Congress Building in Hagåtña.
