Pay hike bill won't be on next session agenda

A bill introduced at the governor's request to raise GovGuam General Pay Plan salaries will not be on the agenda for this month's legislative session. Republicans blocked the bill in the Rules Committee, saying there needs to be a lot more discussion now that an amended version boosts the cost from $16 million to $23 million.

The new version of the general pay hike bill increases the appropriation by $7 milllion, or more than 40%.

It inserts additional raises for previously excluded agencies like the University of Guam, the Guam Community College and even the Judiciary.

Senator Telo Taitague says while they all support the pay raises, the new price tag warrants more scrutiny. "None of us want to see that we put in these salaries and the next thing you know two years down we're starting to furlough because we cant afford that increase. And now those people who got that increase will lose a job because the government doesnt have enough money to pay for it," she said.

Senator Joe San Agustin had moved to place the bill on the agenda, saying, "If you look at the bill and the substitute of the bill you'll see that it makes the appropriate amendments to the budget act to reflect the increase and moved on."

But Senator Chris Duenas, who previously pushed for the raises to be part of the budget process, agrees with Taitague that it can't be rushed. "Mr. Chairman, I can't think of any other time when we've made that substantial of an increase, that substantial a change in a bill without having another hearing or contemplating that in the fiscal impact," said Duenas.

"Now that we're in the budgetary process and we've seen a $7 million increase in this proposal. That requires much more than one public hearing and a Committee of the Whole for this bill, in light of the fact that we are revisiting basically the entire revenues and expenditure portion of the budget act."

The governor wanted the raises to go into effect April 1, and in a news release, blasted Duenas and republicans, questioning whether they really support an increase. But under the new coalition majority, republicans were able to flex their added voting muscle in the Rules Committee, blocking the bill from the session agenda until they get the added scrutiny they want.

Ultimately, as it was announced: "Motion fails".