Plaintiffs seek permanent injunction in tax refund lawsuit

by Mindy Aguon

Guam - Plaintiffs who are suing the government over the payment of tax refunds are asking the District Court for a permanent injunction against the local government.  In a motion for summary judgment filed today, attorneys for Rea Paeste and other class members outline Guam's chronic failure to make timely tax refund payments and the practice of "expediting" some refunds. 

They claim there has been preferential treatment and political influence to expedite some taxpayers while others must wait and get into credit card debt and other financial problems because the government doesn't pay the refunds. 

The plaintiffs contend that a permanent injunction can be enforce and ensure that the government properly administers tax refunds and follow the law.  Attached to the motion were four declarations from Florencia Sablan, Sharon Zapanta, Vicente Garrido and Jeffrey Paeste, who all detailed how they have been negatively impacted from the government's failure to timely pay tax refunds.

A hearing on the motion is scheduled for August 21.