The Guam Chamber of Commerce is still waiting to hear back from Adelup on yet another plea to roll back the island's Business Privilege Tax. President Catherine Castro says so many small businesses continue to struggle.

"We just need a little bit of support and to us that would be a small bit, but it would mean so much," she told KUAM News. "The private sector has really stretched itself thin. Businesses have closed, people have lost jobs. We still have over 10,000 people without jobs. We need to do something."

The Business Privilege Tax was raised in 2018 from 4% to 5% in response to the Donald Trump tax cuts and the projected loss in local government revenues. It was supposed to be a temporary increase - but the governor has said she opposes a rollback, and attempts by the legislature have also failed.

Castro says since the pandemic, the Government of Guam has benefitted from hundreds of millions in federal assistance. It's been business as usual. She says now its time to let businesses keep more of their own money, noting, "And we're just saying, 'Hey , you're able to operate, so can you support the private sector so that we can be able to survive?'" she continued.

"Look, our source markets are still closed, right? Our tourism industry needs dire support, our private sector needs dire support. And to us this is a small way that the Government of Guam can support our economy."

For many businesses, a 25% reduction in the bpt is a matter of survival. That's why, Castro says, the chamber will continue to push for it.

"We are just asking our elected officials to support us," she said.

We reached out to Adelup, Lieutenant Governor Josh Tenorio and Speaker Therese Terlaje for comment. So far all have declined.