Governor outlines future, lawmakers react
Improving services, fighting poverty, and building a new economy and the community of the future were the main focus of Governor Eddie Calvo's second State of the Island Address.
By KUAM Newsby Mindy Aguon
Guam - Improving services, fighting poverty, and building a new economy and the community of the future were the main focus of Governor Eddie Calvo's second State of the Island Address. The nearly two-hour speech outlined achievements of the past year and his administration's plans for a better island and future.
"Things are better, but let's not kid ourselves - we are far from where we need to be," proclaimed the island's chief executive last night. One full year on the job and Governor Calvo announced that the Government of Guam is on its way to improving services and living within its means. Getting the finances in order started with the government stopping its two decade old practice of robbing from residents their tax refunds. Calvo urged lawmakers to work with his administration to pay the balance of what is owed.
"It's the same relief that we hope they can get again this year. If the people's trust is what we want to build back into the leaders they elect, I hope the Legislature will support Series 'B' of the Tax Refunds Bond," he stated.
Calvo also stressed that bringing financial stability back to the government will also be achieved with further reorganization efforts and spending cuts as well as the outsourcing of services such as the Department of Motor Vehicles at Rev & Tax and giving animal control duties to mayors. On Tuesday the Administration submitted its Fiscal Year 2013 budget and the governor announced that his fiscal team will also eventually transition the government into performance-based budgeting.
"We are demanding excellence and changing government so that it serves the people," Calvo noted.
Getting tax refunds out, the Department of Education no longer being in jeopardy of losing $60 million in stimulus funding, and having seven working ambulances instead of two when they first took office weren't achievements, he said, but instead just what the people of Guam expected. "While she appreciated the various ideas that the governor proposed and looks forward to further discussing them, Speaker Judi Won Pat took issue with what the governor left out of his address, saying he failed to recognize her colleague for the work he did for the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funding for DOE and more.
"Then the ambulances, it was again Senator [Ben] Pangelinan who called Secretary [Tony] Babauta and asked if the monies were available and he said, 'Yes, all we need is a letter from the governor.' I mean, give credit where credit is due! If you're going to do it for the other senators, be fair and also recognize even the ones that you may not care for but he's also an elected official and he's helping," she expressed.
With consent decrees, permanent injunctions, and fines imposed by the federal government, Governor Calvo said enough is enough, stating, "How is it right that we are made to pay for more than three-quarters of a billion dollars in federal mandates when the federal government still owes us nearly the same amount in reimbursements for its obligations to us?"
The Administration is exploring aggressive avenues to hold the federal government accountable for the money it owes Guam. And it's something that Minority Leader Frank Blas, Jr. wholeheartedly agrees with and has been pushing for several years, as he told KUAM News, "e would like to be able to address the water and wastewater facilities, we would like to be able to address our solid waste programs. We would like to and we need to address our mental health capacities and capabilities. We need to address our education and we need to address our healthcare. We just need those resources that were promised and those resources that we've had to utilize on their behalf to accomplish these things."
The governor stressed that Guam supports the military buildup and criticized some lawmakers for sending mixed signals to Washington. He announced that he would be issuing an executive order impaneling the Guam First Commission Advisory Body, so that all communications with Washington are "made with one voice".
It's something Senator Rory Respicio wished had happened a year ago. He said, "Without having that kind of structure the very things that the governor talked about over the year could have been avoided had he convened the Guam First Commission as he promised, so I don't know what he's planning on doing in the coming week, as he said he is going to empanel the Commission. Whatever means he does that I'm looking forward to working with him in that kind of structure."
The governor closed with calling upon residents to find the courage and confidence within themselves to make their dreams for a better Guam a reality and instill that hope and inspiration in their children so they too can imagine and achieve their Guamanian dream. "Each of you has an idea, something to contribute. Collectively we can imagine Guam far in the future and then start building our way toward that vision," he said.