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Guam committee debates bill to codify tax-amnesty authority as officials warn of tradeoffs
Summary
Bill 2-31-38 would let the Department of Revenue and Taxation run rolling tax-amnesty programs that waive penalties and interest to recover unpaid principal. DRT told senators it has $245 million in receivables referred to collections (net), with about $158 million in underlying tax balances; senators pressed officials on staffing, past amnesty outcomes and risks to long-term collections.
Guam’s Committee of the Whole heard Bill 2-31-38 on March 26, a measure that would add a statutory tax-amnesty authority to Title 11 and allow the Department of Revenue and Taxation (DRT) to run short-term programs waiving penalties and interest so delinquent taxpayers can pay principal.
Senator St. Augustine, sponsor of the bill, said the proposal ‘‘draws upon the lessons of [the] 2018 tax amnesty program’’ and aims to provide immediate liquidity for the government without raising taxes while helping struggling taxpayers resolve liabilities. "It provides immediate relief and revenue, supports struggling taxpayers, and strengthens our government ability to serve the people of Guam," the senator said in opening remarks.
Why it matters: DRT officials told senators the island has a net $245,000,000 of accounts receivable referred to collections (FY2025). Of that, DRT said roughly $158,000,000 is the unpaid tax principal, with about $54,000,000 in interest and $62,000,000 in penalties; administrative adjustments reduce the gross inventory by about…
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