By Nancy I. Maanao
The Guam Legislature did not place on its session agenda any of the three bills that trap the governor into paying tax refunds as a response to struggling families during the #KungFlou crisis.
Speaker Tina Muna Barnes, in an interview with Kandit Monday night, said she is looking for seven more votes among senators to place one of those bills - her Bill No. 327-35 - on the session agenda.
Her bill will unlock about $11 million in unused local war claims monies and direct the governor to use that money for tax refunds.
Kandit has repeatedly laid out the government of Guam's precarious financial situation since session started Thursday, telling viewers that if no effort is made to constrict GovGuam spending and if the economy is not reopened by late May, GovGuam will have no money to make payroll in June.
The analysis of the government's financials don't even begin to take into account the fact that tens of millions in tax refunds still are owed to filers for Tax Year 2018 and prior, or the $125 million in tax refunds that largely already are owed for Tax Year 2019. Not one penny of tax refunds for Tax Year 2019 has been paid yet.
Ms. Muna Barnes's bill will prioritize the government's budget and cash to some tax refunds relief.
