by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - $474 million has been proposed for the U.S. territories by President Barack Obama. According to Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Tony Babauta the current appropriations request includes $59.5 million in discretionary funding, $27.7 million in mandatory funding and a $10.1 million transfer from the Department of Defense for vehicles and supplies for the transportation of civilian students on Guam.

In addition, $377.1 million in permanent and indefinite appropriations is estimated for 2012 for fiscal payments mandated by law to U.S. territories and Freely Associated States. Additionally the budget proposal supports efforts to control the brown tree snake.

Likewise Guam is slated to receive an estimated $45 million in taxes collected in the territory via the IRS "mirror" code that are by law transferred to the Government of Guam to support its public safety, health care, education and other services and operations.