Governor Calvo has introduced a bill that ensures what Vice Speaker BJ Cruz’s Bill 222 failed to do. The Governor’s bill promotes the Vice Speaker’s intent of ensuring financial transparency and as noted during the public hearing for Bill 222.
The Governor takes it one step further, recognizing that there are unclassified employees throughout the government of Guam. The bill prohibits the lump sum payment for all unclassified employees working under the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of the government. Cruz’s bill was focused solely on those employees working for the governor.
In a letter to the Vice Speaker in December, the Governor noted the blatant political divisiveness in Bill 222.
“I am willing to support any legitimate effort by any senator that promotes further financial stability. Your current bill, however, is blatant divisive partisan politics,” the Governor wrote. Included with the letter were amendments that would assist in the Vice Speaker’s vision to improve fiscal management.
“The recommendations were ignored,” the Governor said today as he signed his name on the veto letter.
Currently the OPA is conducting a forensic audit of the Capitol District Fund. Sen. Rory Respicio has oversight over this fund and legislative Executive Director Vince Arriola is the administrator.
The OPA’s audit will ensure that this very restricted fund was not illegally raided to pay for the large un-budgeted lump sum payout at the Legislature in 2014.
That is exactly why the bill that the vice-speaker authored needs to include all three branches of government.
