Hagåtña — On Friday, $1.3 million in tax refund checks were processed by the Department of Revenue and Taxation.
The refunds were for Guamanians who filed up to July 7, but includes tax returns that had errors or were being audited that have been corrected or completed. If legislative Secretary Regine Biscoe Lee had transmitted the TRAN bill to the administration this summer, in compliance with the Organic Act, tax refunds for all filers in 2017 would have been out sooner and the administration would be preparing to pay out tax refunds for those preparing to file in the next couple of weeks. The TRAN is a financial tool meant to ensure money is ready to pay out tax refunds quickly; the note would be repaid the end of the fiscal year in September.
During this administration, Governor Eddie Calvo and Lt. Governor Ray Tenorio have listened to the people and their needs – paying out tax refunds as quickly as possibly was one of the things people had repeatedly requested.
In any case, this most recent payout adds to the approximately $144 million in tax refund checks processed in calendar year 2017.
Looking back, that’s a total of MORE THAN $1 BILLION in tax refunds paid out by this administration beginning in 2011. That outpaces the previous 14 years COMBINED:
• 2011-2017: $1.1 BILLION
• 2004-2010: $560 million
• 1997-2003: $426 million
“We are prepared to take the next step to compel Sen. Regine Biscoe Lee to follow the Organic Act,” Governor Eddie Calvo stated.
“We started this administration with the people in mind and we’re not going to stop listening to the people,” Lt. Governor Ray Tenorio stated.
If you want tax refunds to get paid out sooner, let Sen. Regine Biscoe Lee know. Contact her at 472-3455 or 472-3456 or email senatorbiscoelee@guamlegislatu