Bill reduces senatorial salaries

by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - A public hearing was held this morning on Bill 30. The legislation would reduce senatorial salaries to $55,307 a year. It was in February 2011 senators salaries went up to $60,000 a year after they implemented an old law which raised their salaries to be 50% of the annual salary of a Superior Court of Guam judge with the speaker to receive 50% of the presiding judge's salaries. 

Senator Michael Limtiaco, who co-authored the bill, said, "We must make every effort to lead by example and focus on making hard decisions on how we manage our finances and resources, reducing the deficit is a step in the right direction but we are longs way away of meaningfully reducing our liabilities and debts that we owe. We must act now and it starts with us as our island leaders and I ask all the senators for their support."

Fellow freshman senator Brant McCreadie and Bill 30's co-author said, "I first want to commend the 31st Legislature for making cuts to the budget that saw a $500,000 cuts to their budget and annual cash-out, leave wipes out. In order to fulfill our goal of hitting almost a million dollar in cuts, this would be the final piece of the puzzle that would show leadership by example from this branch of government."

Tumon resident Mark "Paps" Martinez testified in opposition of the bill, noting, "If you want to cut salaries, don't pick on one group. To me, if I were to do it, I would start at the top and anyone who's making more $100,000 gets cuts first. That's how I would do it."

And former Republican senatorial candidate Javier Atalig testified in support of it, and believes the savings should be placed in a rainy day fund. "If you find that savings, when the hospital needs medicine, you have that rainy day fund, if the fire department needs ambulance you have that rainy day fund, when the kids need supplies at the schools you have that rainy day fund," he explained.