Washington DC (Sept. 13, 2017) — About 28,000 Guamanians will receive their tax refunds in the next few days with the receipt of $78 million of the Section 30 reimbursement.  
 
About $61 million will be used for status A tax refunds filed up to May 24. Checks will be processed in two batches – today and tomorrow
 
Governor Eddie Calvo and members of his fiscal team told the Legislature that we were anticipating this amount — IN SPITE OF efforts to quell our progress.
 
Speaker BJ Cruz and Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo’s office intentionally misrepresented to elected leaders and the people of Guam during the discussion on the Governor’s tax refund bill that the federal government would remit to GovGuam only $68 million in Section 30. In fact, the federal government ignored their request to withhold $10 million, which was made in an effort to torpedo the Governor’s efforts to get people their tax refunds quickly.
 
Earlier this week, the Calvo Tenorio Administration was in court fighting for the tools to allow tax refunds within days. The Legislature’s legal team is arguing against our efforts.
 
The $78 million in Section 30 received this week means that Speaker Cruz and Congresswoman Bordallo’s politics of deception was intended to earn a political win — no matter that Guamanians suffered for it.  
 
NOTE: IF the GOVERNOR’S TAX REFUND BILL HAD BEEN PASSED, then much of the tax refunds being paid this week would have been paid to Guamanians earlier. In short, their deception SLOWED THE PAYMENT OF TAX REFUNDS to Guamanians.
 
Additionally, their deception allowed the Speaker to chop the Fiscal 2018 budget at the expense of the health and safety of Guamanians all in the name of political convenience. This means the budget bill as passed by the Legislature is wrong by $10 million.
 
Meanwhile, Governor Calvo recently met with investors and tourism industry representatives in South Korea and Japan to help ensure Guam’s economy doesn’t falter. He is now in Washington D.C. as part of his continued effort to address disparities in federal programs as they relate to Guam, including EITC, Compact Impact, and skilled labor. 
 
“Speaker Cruz’s political vitriol has fueled fears that Guam is following Puerto Rico’s path to bankruptcy. That’s not true. Simply for the fact that this administration, along with some allies in the Legislature, have been able to make smart financial decisions,” Governor Calvo stated.
 
“Again, there is more work to do — whether its supporting healthcare or supporting a fragile tourism industry — but if we work honestly and diligently for the good of the people we were elected to serve, then imagine what we can do. Continuing this politics of convenience can only extinguish any prospect of change for the better that could make a real difference in the lives of Guamanians.”
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