March 4, 2018
Hagåtña – The Public Safety Committee Chairwoman objected to the presence of the police and fire chiefs at the legislature even though she and other senators had questions related to the safety agencies.
Sen. Telena Nelson and Sen. Regine Biscoe Lee were asking Department of Administration Deputy Director Vince Arriola about GPD and Guam Fire Department budgets and operations. Arriola recommended that Senators bring in the chiefs of police and fire into session to answer senators’ questions.
The federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act caused a $67 million shortfall for all of GovGuam. However, the legislature has yet to pass a bill that bridges the financial gap, which means the administration and line agencies have to take drastic measures to prevent a payless payday or government shutdown.
There have been multiple meetings between the legislature and the senators regarding the shortfall. Senators have been told that without a funding solution there would be an impact to GovGuam services.
Sen. Nelson has sat in those meetings and in legislative session with the fiscal team as well as with safety chiefs. Yet, she still doesn’t know what the numbers are?