by Janjeera Hail

Guam - Republican gubernatorial candidates Eddie Calvo and Mike Cruz met yet again today, this time before the Guam Chamber of Commerce to lay out their plans for the local economy.

Calvo went first, using his 15-minute introduction to take shots at the current administration. "We've got to change the type of leadership we have right now, which is either absent or reactive. You can't have dynamic growth and then you call a meeting four days after school starts to figure out how to fix the problem," he said. He then outlined a strategy that touched on cleaning up the budget, working with the military on the buildup, and training a skilled workforce.

Cruz took a different approach before the island's business leaders, asking them to consider his character, from his humble beginnings in a trailer home to his accomplishments as a doctor and soldier. He then highlighted achievements during his time at Adelup, including this morning's announcement about the JFK High School contract and Guam Memorial Hospital's recent accreditation.

"I may not have all the answers, but I'm a leader and I know how to bring people together to get the job done that the people are demanding of us. The role of government is to provide services to our people," he said.

Then candidates were given equal time to tackle audience questions, including an election favorite: taxes.

"No increase in taxes," Calvo announced. "Again, we will start the Calvo/Tenorio Administration with a budget that is not as far fetched as the current administration."

Cruz agreed that taxes shouldn't be increased, but also added that the deficit has to be addressed. "I think it's been too long that members of your Chamber have been subsidizing the Government of Guam," he said.

The teams will continue to meet in the days ahead, and its becoming clear that as the race heats up so will the debates.