HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The Leon Guerrero-Tenorio administration has begun the process of poring over the historic $1.1 billion budget act submitted by senators. Administration officials have 10 working days to review the measure and either approve or veto it.
The Republican Party of Guam expressed its displeasure with the massive spending bill in a Thursday night statement.
Lawmakers, in a vote split across party lines, passed the budget Wednesday evening. It’s about $146 million bigger than the fiscal 2023 budget and about $43 million more than what Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero requested. There are tens of millions of dollars set aside for public safety, education and Guam Memorial Hospital from potential GovGuam surplus revenue which, as of press time, was awaiting final confirmation via audit.
Democrat lawmakers have stood behind the need for the extra appropriations. The Republican minority has decried it, wanting extra revenue to go entirely to GMH.
The governor, a Democrat, criticized senators for the practice of spending unaudited funds last budget cycle, though she ultimately signed off on the fiscal 2023 budget act.
Following its passage, the Office of the Governor in a news release touted Democrats for working out the budget act.
“We thank Chairman Joe San Agustin, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Democratic majority for their work throughout the budget process. There were a number of amendments that were passed during budget deliberations that require a thorough review,” the release stated. “That said, our review process has begun, and the governor will, as always, decide her course of action in the best interest of Guam’s people.”
Republicans struck a more dire note on this year’s budget deliberations, stating that the process should give every taxpayer great pause.
“(The budget act) stands as the largest budget for the government of Guam in our 53 years of representative government. We have a population at its lowest since the year 2000. Business activity is not nearly as good as it was just before the global COVID pandemic. Confidence in government is waning by the day. We, as a community, need to be prepared for what this … budget will bring,” the party said in a statement.
“We ask our community to watch its implementation closely. Ask questions of those nine lawmakers who passed (the budget) each time you see them. Ask them if their Organic Act of Guam-mandated effort reflects the reality our territory faces today and into the foreseeable future,” according to the statement. “Know the minority members of the legislative branch worked to keep costs down and not grow the government further. You need to know that they spoke up for every single taxpayer. Each of us will shoulder the burdens of the (fiscal) 2024 budget for the government of Guam.”
The Ricardo J. Bordallo Governor’s Complex on Aug. 21, 2023.
