[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6498982,"mediaKeyId","5566385-2967ed57ed5225534a2acdd0657304f5","parentId",5566385,"title","Ranking member urges full funding for private‑attorney panel after Public Defender Service says request is undercounted","audioSeconds",510,"startMs",9270000,"endMs",9780000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5566385-2967ed57ed5225534a2acdd0657304f5&start=9270&end=9780","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5566385-2967ed57ed5225534a2acdd0657304f5/thumbnail_9270000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6498982/Ranking-member-urges-full-funding-for-privateattorney-panel-after-Public-Defender-Service-says-request-is-undercounted","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498982-4823206e1a01dd76b51603f4c7de6342/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154930&Signature=JhFAw-2hXsuF7N11xWmKfqJDAEKwmo0d7XOgcgKLIl0uJTj0nftQVzBUwuINDfAJHjO4EQ6r4t71CE1hKmKH~3psuVzloV6CjwH4-Z7ZSL7KDR4pCyRNE2~TtZRdULo856gV7eEj4moebYYAk8MYxQt-S0Mk7SGDpzXHo2noaHExxx~5Zcnjl4xoLTF2UmvnthS9202AF02RRb6UzjN5YJyZzGuG5vlpqq3xhC6MxkoThRtTLJfhvpkxJMROLpv7fMd1mUTYmCkaA81iYj8wj~Nol2GvXa-7GlfhfsoQkhcYeMMQyumRoDzJrKZHjiBJfIMtK3warPCte-EsrkdHtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Guam Legislature","date","2025-08-12T10:46:36Z","article","Legislators and oversight chairs pressed budget staff and Judiciary representatives after the Public Defender Service Corporation said the substitute FY2026 budget underfunds the private‑attorney panel (PAP), which provides court‑appointed counsel when the public defender cannot represent a client.

Attorney Stephen Hatori, director of the Public Defender Service Corporation, said the PAP cannot remain under the judiciary without adequate independent funding and provided a cost estimate. Hatori wrote that recent case loads and historical expenditures indicate a need in the range of $1.5 million annually for private‑attorney legal fees, investigators and related costs. The substitute budget, he said, appropriates roughly $168,000 — about 10% of the estimated need.

Ranking Member Tina Muñoz Barnes told the committee she filed an amendment to restore full PAP funding and urged colleagues to consider the constitutional guarantee of counsel when weighing the request. BBMR and other staff confirmed the EBR request and the bill appropriation figures: the governor's executive budget included a $168,000 request for the PAP and the committee bill reflects that same amount.

Committee discussion clarified that the Public Defender Service Corporation is not in the executive branch and therefore not eligible for use of the governor's transfer authority; senators said that makes a legislative appropriation the primary available remedy. Several senators said they will pursue an amendment in the next round to add the roughly $1.5 million needed to fund the PAP without shifting other critical services.

The committee took no final vote on the request during the hearing. Lawmakers signaled they will return to the PAP funding line during later amendment rounds and asked BBMR and Judiciary staff to provide documentation supporting Hatori's estimate.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","38th Guam Legislature FY2026 Budget Session - August 13, 2025 AM","oneSentenceSummary","The Public Defender Service Corporation told senators the private‑attorney panel (PAP) is underfunded in the substitute FY2026 budget; senators said the bill's $168,000 appropriation covers roughly 10% of an estimated $1.5 million annual need and announced an amendment.","taxTitle","General Government Operations and Appropriations\t, Legislative, Guam","taxId",18139,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6498986,"Lawmakers question pace and funding for Simon Sanchez High School project; administration seeks $16.3 million predevelopment authorization",1234,1796000,3030000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5566385-2967ed57ed5225534a2acdd0657304f5&start=1796&end=3030","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5566385-2967ed57ed5225534a2acdd0657304f5/thumbnail_1796000.jpg","/articles/6498986/Lawmakers-question-pace-and-funding-for-Simon-Sanchez-High-School-project-administration-seeks-163-million-predevelopment-authorization","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498986-9a52ea8a2132a8e68ce852b906ab09ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154930&Signature=Zm6GTbx7NmpP-Y-Ez92Yrc-EYFqRRaI96xQWzeP-rWn2fybEIu4dpUZetwps1ns9sh5q9gv749bTjnLT3s~t6X50sKkmyNEw9c-qwA8p6EmfLmLQy7c6PEhIeLSM7gtkcpVYaP~LDKt4huQyAhpUzQOpvaJbHg1VVQWDMOW8jgRy2AwKraf3CLxyllBYltgC2FkpfcH079Y0-wGJjS8jmEVsGRDP57PnQJmFoyeUPBhgoc93cs8kzsqd5b9gSvlNl9ohgWOSWaIaa4-pPRQ1mCuOXZnBiK35MoFai9TdmLMLW-TLGuRwupuxfO8uN0BSGk01J~CQHI-KhgaZtx7baQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators pressed budget and administration officials about financing and appropriation authority for the Simon Sanchez High School project during the committee session, focusing on a $16.3 million annual appropriation line tied to predevelopment, capitalized interest and leaseback arrangements.

Why it matters: Public Law 37‑22 authorized a financing structure and a not‑to‑exceed par amount for a bond issue intended to rebuild or replace Simon Sanchez High School. Senators said the law required earlier action that did not occur, that the request for predevelopment funding could have been made sooner, and that construction‑cost escalation since the law's passage requires re‑examination of the funding plan.

BBMR director Lester Guerrero told senators the RFP for the project went out in March or April and that the administration is negotiating with the highest‑ranked offeror; he said it would not have been prudent to request the predevelopment appropriation before a vendor was selected. Guerrero confirmed the administration hopes to fast‑track financing if negotiations conclude and suggested an October market timing for the sale.

Senators repeatedly asked whether the proposed $16.3 million would have been permitted or prudent earlier. \"When this law passed, you could have been putting money in the bank if you'd wanted to,\" one senator said; Guerrero replied that earlier action would not have been prudent given the project’s procurement stage. The committee also discussed the statutory ceilings referenced in the law — a roughly $166 million par amount and a not‑to‑exceed annual debt service around $16.3 million — and how earlier delays have reduced construction buying power because of escalation.

Committee members asked whether the budget bill contains a reliable funding source for the project; officials pointed to a mix of sources included in miscellaneous provisions and to excess‑revenue balances from FY2023 as potential one‑time sources. BBMR and OMB staff cautioned that audited FY2024 numbers are not yet available and said relying on unaudited figures adds risk.

Senators said they would pursue amendments or appropriations in the budget if the administration and public works confirm the project is ready to proceed. Several speakers emphasized that the Legislature has previously recognized the project's authorization and that the current debate centers on implementation timing and ensuring cost escalation does not leave the school underbuilt once financing is completed.

No formal action was taken; participants agreed to continue oversight as negotiations and the procurement schedule advance.","Legislators pressed BBMR and administration officials on timing, appropriation authority and a $16.3 million predevelopment figure tied to Simon Sanchez High School financing, noting two years of delay and construction‑cost escalation since the project's authorizing public law passed.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6498990,"Legislative budget hearing debates rollback of Guam business-privilege tax amid warnings of shortfalls and federal cuts",7991,759000,8750000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5566385-2967ed57ed5225534a2acdd0657304f5&start=759&end=8750","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5566385-2967ed57ed5225534a2acdd0657304f5/thumbnail_759000.jpg","/articles/6498990/Legislative-budget-hearing-debates-rollback-of-Guam-business-privilege-tax-amid-warnings-of-shortfalls-and-federal-cuts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6498990-59276115e784e7d44bd707bdc2227455/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154930&Signature=CslI02L9-Q9OUBd5s94ljTWg5sinuBx9~mERj9DdJ-qIfMcRky9QU2-fxOp7npeKahVKxhgt5F9M9zvc362K~yJguutp18GiUdcguGCQKqRrgWWeyvoX3rPQAmbus5Si4Z02F-oY4cgUsMRjGWJkmws6Y1lJQiEej-9YGlZ-6yfjMc6OhKvHEjAoLc0-iZoqkXy7bluBL-~zr2U1eJc8ClJv4HZwFSCGXOWh4YafkLLvT103SIkP90qIF39lzcvv3SkphRqR1fabFikO5MEct3VCGEjeVAY~Vt3jPDu1F6vcJMbs1U9pQfJVwBWj2DhN2a3Ere7GIU~mXXRJ8Olr3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Legislature's General Government Operations and Appropriations committee clashed over a proposed rollback of the business-privilege tax rate and the broader fiscal tradeoffs in the draft FY2026 budget during an extended hearing. Committee chair Carlson opened the discussion by clarifying that a prior budget bill enacted a 5% BPT rate into statute and said, “So it is not illegal,” when asked whether the rate was lawful.

The debate centered on whether a 0.5 percentage-point rollback — described by several senators as a roughly $40 million reduction in annual general-fund revenue — is prudent while federal grants and reimbursements are uncertain. BBMR Director Lester Guerrero and budget staff warned that unspecified federal funding cuts and new federal tax changes complicate revenue projections for FY2026.

Why it matters: Lawmakers said the rollback would reduce revenues available for operations and debt service, could strain the government's ability to pay court‑mandated tax refunds on time, and might weaken Guam's fiscal cushion as some federal grant programs and coastal and historic‑preservation funding face cuts.

Budget officials and revenue staff gave lawmakers a mix of technical details and warnings. Department of Revenue and Taxation Director Marie Lozama said the BPT’s 5% rate is applied to gross taxable amounts after exemptions are removed and cautioned that changes to deductions and credits at the federal level will increase refund activity. BBMR director Guerrero said the island faces the twin risks of construction‑cost escalation on planned capital projects and possible reductions in federal program funding.

Several senators pressed for context and numbers. Senator Parkinsen said the committee's own charts showed 680 taxpayers generating the bulk of the island's BPT revenue and cited an estimate that the top payers produce roughly $333 million in tax at a 5% rate; he and others argued the distribution of exemptions means the largest taxpayers would get the bulk of any rollback benefit. Senator Perez and others warned some agencies already face reduced budgets in the draft bill and said cutting BPT revenue would make restoring those cuts harder.

Officials described limits on using one‑time federal sources. Stephanie from BBMR noted American Rescue Plan funds must be spent for eligible uses by Dec. 31, 2026, and that those balances cannot be redirected to cover general‑fund shortfalls. Department officials also flagged accounts receivable in Business Privilege Tax (BPT) collections — roughly $139 million reported in one data extraction — as a constraint on projected receipts.

On bond covenants and ratings, finance officials said a partial rollback to 4.5% would not automatically break the pledge on existing BPT bonds, but bond raters weigh a broader mix of fiscal policies such as reserve levels, rainy‑day fund deposits and sustained expense control. BBMR and finance officials urged continued contributions to the rainy‑day fund and cautioned against suspending the fund's statutory protections.

Quotes on consequences and context came from both sides. \"If we don't do either one, we're going to have to find an additional $41 million,\" BBMR Director Guerrero told senators when asked where to recover the shortfall. Senator Parkinsen argued the rollback disproportionately benefits a small number of large taxpayers: \"This is a tax cut from the rich, for the rich, by the rich,\" he said.

The hearing produced no formal votes. Several senators said they plan amendments to restore or protect funding for specific agencies if the BPT reduction proceeds. Committee members said they want more precise audited revenue figures for FY2024 and a fuller assessment of how federal tax changes and grant pauses affect FY2026 collections before finalizing the bill.

The committee continued to other budget items after the BPT exchange. Lawmakers signaled they will keep the rollback on the table but are weighing amendments to offset its projected $40 million effect on the budget, including restoring rainy‑day fund contributions and increasing the appropriation set aside for tax refunds.","Lawmakers and budget officials debated restoring the business-privilege tax rate and warned that the rollback could create a $40 million hole, strain tax-refund payments and endanger federal grants used by agencies including EPA and public broadcasting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Ranking member urges full funding for private‑attorney panel after Public Defender Service says request is undercounted

Lawmakers question pace and funding for Simon Sanchez High School project; administration seeks $16.3 million predevelopment authorization

Legislative budget hearing debates rollback of Guam business-privilege tax amid warnings of shortfalls and federal cuts