GEC will discuss 2014 budget proposal

by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - The Guam Election Commission is scheduled to meet this evening to discuss its Fiscal Year 2014 budget proposal.  According to executive director Maria Pangelinan, while the over-million dollar budget will cover expenses related to next year's primary election, it also covers costs for new mandates.

"If you remember, the costs of precinct officials goes its up, it's doubled from $170 million to $350 million, so that bring sup our budget a little bit and most of the costs is part of the primary election. And because of the Election Reform Law of 2012, we have new mandates, that include publications and notices to voters so all that requires additional funding."

The meeting will be the GEC's first since Democrat member Chris Carillo resigned following his arrest on drug charges. Alice Taijeron has since been designated by the Democratic Party as his replacement.