by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - The Guam Office of Public Accountability has released an analysis of the Government of Guam's personnel costs and employee counts among 53 agencies. The audit examined costs from fiscal years 2008 to 2012.

The Guam OPA found that although personnel costs and employee counts generally increase during those periods, growth occurred only in some agencies with the largest growth occurring in the priority areas of public education, public safety, and public health.

Specifically the analysis found:

Ø Government personnel costs (inclusive of salaries and benefits) grew by 15% or $86

million (M), going from $589.6M to $675.6M, of which ten agencies made up 78% of the

increase;

- Of the 10 agencies, those in the areas of education (30% or $26M), health (13%

or $10.8M), utilities (12% or $9.9M), and public safety (11% or $9.7M)

represented the bulk of the growth at 62% or $62.6M of the $86M.

Ø The number of employees increased by 3% or 402 people from 11,880 to 12,282;

- The priority areas employed 60% of the FY 2012 government workforce with

education at 4,887 employees or 40%, health at 1,635 or 13%, and public safety at

885 or 7%.

Ø There were 252 employees or 2% of the employee population who each earned over $100

thousand (K) in FY 2012; however, there were wide ranges in the salaries of employees

holding similar positions within agencies in the same area including education, health,

public safety, and utilities; and

Ø The average annual salary (excluding benefits) of a GovGuam employee increased from

$38.1K in FY 2008 to $40.6K in FY 2012.