Pangelinan, Calvo differ on budget details

by Mindy Aguon

Guam - While lawmakers continue the balancing act, it appears the Appropriations Committee chairman Senator Ben Pangelinan and the Administration still have differing opinions on the Calvo budget request and what it entails.  Pangelinan has been vocal in criticizing the administration's plan that he claims would increase the government's debt.

He said, "If you take a look at the current budget and you say that the current budget pays $38 million in debt the governors budget may be the same amount as the current budget but the governors budget takes that $38 million that we would pay for debt to provide for  new employees."

But Governor Eddie Calvo refutes those claims saying there were errors presented by the Office of Finance & Budget and the Administration is not padding any payroll, instead presenting a lower budget to the legislature compared to the current year budget.  The governor adding the vacancies are for critical positions in health, education and safety.

He noted, "We are going to be making some tough decisions and I look forward to work with the Office of Finance & Budget and ways and means chair to making tough decisions so that we don't grow this deficit, we shrink this deficit and then at the same time 'reorganize' this government to provide a more efficient and superior service level which our people expect."