Guam finance committee hears Department of Revenue and Taxation request; staffing, DMV systems and tobacco stamps top concerns

The Committee on Finance and Government Operations heard testimony June 18 on Bill 44-38 COR, the governor's FY2026 budget proposal for the Department of Revenue and Taxation (DRT). Director Marie Lizama told senators the agency's request was a status‑quo budget but highlighted persistent staffing shortages, ongoing problems with the driver's license vendor and real‑ID scanning, and near‑term work to implement tobacco tax stamps.

The hearing matters because DRT collects most of Guam's tax revenue and operates the island's motor vehicle and license services; staffing and vendor problems can slow tax collections, slow refunds and extend customer wait times. Director Marie Lizama said, "our request is the same as that of fiscal year 2025," and asked that the bill include a provision allowing DRT to use any unexpended FY2025 funds.

Committee members spent much of the hearing probing staff shortages in the Business Privilege Tax (BPT) branch and the examination/audit functions. Lizama said the agency reduced limited term appointments to 16 (about 10% of the workforce) but reported BPT currently has only two full‑time classified employees supplemented by staff from other branches. Acting Deputy Director and Banking and Insurance Commissioner Michelle Santos described recent retirements and no‑shows for offered positions, and management analyst Miguel Espiritu confirmed a continuous open recruitment for a BPT supervisor that has not yielded sufficient candidates. Senators repeatedly pressed the agency on pay and recruitment tools, including above‑step hiring, training and internship partnerships.

DRT described workforce and…