by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - Vice Speaker B.J. Cruz has proposed that all senators and those who are appointed by the governor who make more than $50,000 a year get a 10 percent pay cut. The Democrat lawmaker introduced Bill 527 and proposes that the savings go to pay tax refunds. The pay cuts would take affect for Fiscal Years 2013 and 2014, but does not apply to judges or justices of the Supreme or Superior Courts of Guam.

The vice speaker says the proposed cuts are a recommendation to the governor's spending cuts bill, which will go up for a roundtable discussion next Monday. Governor's communications director Troy Torres says the bill is a nice gesture to follow the foot steps of the governor, lieutenant governor and their senior staff who took a ten percent pay cut over a year ago.

Torres added, "This bill is one year late and 10 percent short. If they wanted to cut their pay, why didn't they just pass Senator [Chris] Duenas' Bucks for Buses Bill, when he introduced it?"