An appeal to help pass spending cuts

By Eddie Baza Calvo

Good morning my fellow Guamanians,

People living in the real world know the struggles most of you go through. Gas and daycare are expensive. Small businesses can't keep up. Someone you know is battling disease or disability. People are losing their jobs and it's hard to get a raise.

This is the real side of Guam that exists outside the capital city.

You've heard it over and over from me since we came to office – Ray and I are trying to pay your tax refunds on time, all the time. It's caused many fights with the legislature. Some senators just didn't believe you should have your tax refunds. They believed it was okay to owe that money to you… to keep it from your families.

They didn't care then, and they don't care now that I'm fighting again for the fiscal policy to pay refunds. We have to do this by cutting government spending. Essentially, what I'm trying to do is to stop the legislature from spending your money. This will be a bitter fight to cut spending. On one side I'm trying to do what's right so government never keeps your money. On the other side, some senators are just worried about the upcoming election.

Just like the tax refunds bond last year, the legislature will not act on my spending cuts bill without the power of your voice. I'm appealing to you again for your support by calling the senators who are standing in the way of the tax refunds: the Speaker, the Vice Speaker, the Rules chairman, and the Budget chairman.

Let them know about the realities you face. Ask them to support our effort to pay refunds by cutting spending elsewhere. This must be done because, right now, in their fantasy, the everyday common person is suffering while government just keeps spending your money.

Thank you for your time tonight, and enjoy your day.