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Emergency Dispatchers to Move into New Facility |
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$1.2 million made available to move GFD and GPD Dispatchers to Agana Heights
March 15, 2009
Governor Felix P. Camacho was notified that approximately $1.2 million in grant funding has been secured to relocate the Guam Fire Department’s E-911 Bureau and the Guam Police Department’s Tactical Operation Command. Both units will relocate to the Guam Homeland Security Office of Civil Defense in Agana Heights.
“This move will allow GPD and GFD to consolidate some of their resources while maintaining their missions and reducing emergency response time,” said Governor Camacho. “By housing both emergency dispatch offices in one secure location, we will increase efficiency and vacate private property in Tiyan.”
Guam Homeland Security has begun the procurement process to facilitate and complete the move by September of this year.
“Despite these challenging economic times, we continue to find ways to assist our departments and agencies in fulfilling their missions,” said Governor Camacho. “We are grateful for the support shown to us by the Department of Homeland Security and we will use these funds to carry out the shared mission of safeguarding our community.”
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Community Poll Reflects Significant Support for Military Buildup |
Guam Chamber of Commerce shares recent findings with Governor, legislature March 16, 2009 Governor Felix P. Camacho received a letter from Guam Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Frank Campillo sharing results from a poll that show more than 70 percent of local residents continue to support the Guam Buildup. “Community support for the Guam Buildup is a critical component of our efforts to support the military relocation in the months and years ahead. I thank the Chamber for their support and the Civilian Military Task Force for the influential work they have been engaged in throughout the past two years,” Governor Camacho said. “The overall success of this endeavor will be measured by the progress we make together during this crucial transition period.” The poll indicates that more than 80 percent of Guam residents believe that the upcoming military relocation will increase tax revenues and employment opportunities for the local community. In addition, another 60 percent of poll participants feel that an additional military presence will improve the quality of life on Guam. “These results show almost identical scores to the initial poll conducted in 2007, which reconfirms that a majority of Guam residents support a larger military presence on the island,” Campillo said in a letter to Governor Camacho. “We are confident this buildup will ultimately enhance the economic well-being of Guam while meeting the needs of national security interest.” The Guam Chamber of Commerce also shared the findings of the recent poll with members of the 30th Guam Legislature. |
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Lieutenant Governor Meets With Senator John McCain |
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Lt. Governor Cruz lobbies for Senator McCain’s support on war reparations
March 15, 2009
While attending the National Lieutenant Governors Association’s Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., Lieutenant Governor Michael W. Cruz, M.D., met with Arizona Senator John McCain. During the one-on-one discussion, Lieutenant Governor Cruz sought Senator McCain’s support for the World War II Loyalty Recognition Act. The bill, which allows war reparations to be paid to Guam, was passed in the House of Representatives and now awaits action in the Senate.
“Senator McCain has a long history of working together with both republicans and democrats. We hope that his support will be helpful in garnering enough votes for the bill’s passage in the Senate,” said Lieutenant Governor Cruz. “I have expressed the importance of the legislation to Senator McCain. We have agreed to meet in the near future to further discuss war reparations and other critical issues.”
The senator also shared with Lieutenant Governor Cruz that he is familiar with the issues Guam faces.
“It was a privilege to speak with Senator McCain,” said Lieutenant Governor Cruz. “He is a widely respected public servant and I believe our meeting was a positive step toward strengthening Guam’s relationship with key government officials.”
Senator McCain was the Republican Party nominee for president in the 2008 election. He has been in Congress for over 25 years and is currently the ranking minority member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
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Governor Signs Five Bills Into Law |
Bill to create Public Corporation for GPSS is vetoed March 13, 2009 Governor Felix P. Camacho today signed five bills into public law including Bill No. 37, now PL 30-5, which re-establishes the Guam Mass Transit Authority. “I believe our people deserve efficient and reliable transportation,” said Governor Camacho. “This bill re-establishes the organization that will better facilitate the operations of the mass transit system in Guam.” Governor Camacho also enacted the following Public Laws: - Bill No. 35 – PL 30-6: Amends the composition and duties of the task force regarding the return of Tiyan properties
- Bill No. 9 – PL 30-4: Adds a new section to the law regarding breaches of personal information
- Bill No. 41 – PL 30-3: Allows the Guam Football Association to develop soccer fields at the Southern Sports Complex
- Bill No. 34 – PL 30-2: Modifies the manner in which the Guam Legislature amends budget bills
The Governor also vetoed Bill No. 2, which attempts to create a Public Corporation for the purpose of receiving donations for the Guam Public School System. In his veto message to Legislative Speaker Judith Won Pat, Governor Camacho noted that Bill No. 2 seeks to create a new layer of government while drawing attention away from the need for more accountability of GPSS funds. “According to recent local news reports, GPSS is missing nearly $90,000 in donations provided to Southern High School. This is not an isolated incident and highlights the need to ensure that funding provided to the school system is used to the best benefit of students,” said Governor Camacho. “It is not clear that a public corporation, as envisioned in Bill 2, would provide additional accountability or financial safeguards.” |
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Department of Administration Receives $700,000 Grant Award |
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Funds to Improve Efficiency at DOA and DRT
March 13, 2009
The United States Department of the Interior has awarded a grant which provides $700,000 to the Department of Administration. Funds from the grant will be used to make improvements to DOA’s records management capability, human resource systems and financial management systems.
“The Department of Administration has been working to make necessary improvements. DOA saw a funding opportunity and worked diligently to secure it,” said Governor Felix P. Camacho. “We are grateful for the support shown to us by the Department of the Interior.”
In addition, $100,000 will be directed toward the Department of Revenue and Taxation for the implementation of an electronic filing system for 1040 returns.
“Funds from this grant will be used to improve DRT’s online filing service and make the process easier for both the taxpayer and the staff of DRT,” said Governor Camacho. “This is just one of many upgrades that the department has identified and we will continue to pursue and secure other funding sources.”
The grant award includes $250,000 for a records management pilot program, $100,000 for financial management modifications and $50,000 for Point-of-Sale improvements. Other funds will be used for various software upgrades and management improvement plans.
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Lieutenant Governor Attends NLGA Meeting |
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Lt. Governor Cruz discusses stimulus bill and military build up
March 13, 2009
(Washington, D.C.) Lieutenant Governor Michael W. Cruz, M.D., yesterday attended the first day of the 2009 National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) Winter Meeting. The agenda focused primarily on the America Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed by President Barack Obama.
Speakers included renowned economist Mark Zandi, who shared his observations on the economy; the Stimulus Bill; and what the states and territories should prepare for. Labor economist Terry Ludeman and Marc Tucker, President of the National Center on Education and the Economy, led a discussion on short-term strategies for economic stimulus as the groundwork to address workforce crises. Dr. Jared Bernstein, an economic advisor to Vice President Joe Biden, spoke on middle-class economic policy. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services led a panel discussion on transportation and Medicaid opportunities available through the stimulus bill.
“The ARRA has made available a large sum of money to assist states and territories in dealing with the current economic situation,” said Lieutenant Governor Cruz. “The day’s sessions made clear how the bill affects Guam and what type of funding is available to our island. The information will help our leaders ensure that any money we receive is carefully spent and used to benefit the people of Guam.”
Lieutenant Governor Cruz also discussed the military build up with the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, Anthony G. Brown, who is responsible for overseeing Maryland’s military build up. The two men shared ideas on how to fund infrastructure projects associated with the increase of military personnel to their respective jurisdictions.
“It was very enlightening to speak with Lieutenant Governor Brown and hear his thoughts on the military build up,” said Lieutenant Governor Cruz. “Our discussion was productive. As a fellow soldier, I appreciate and respect his knowledge regarding military matters and was impressed with the ideas and suggestions he conveyed on how to ensure that the build up is successful and beneficial for the community.”
Lieutenant Governors Cruz and Brown are members of the United States military. Both men served a tour of duty in Iraq and are recipients of the Bronze Star.
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Guam To Receive Technical Assistance Grant Money |
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Department of the Interior awards $360,000 to government of Guam
March 12, 2009
The Department of the Interior notified Governor Felix P. Camacho that Guam will receive $360,000 from a technical assistance grant. The grant funding will allow the Bureau of Information Technology to execute an agreement that will provide Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to the government of Guam. GIS users are able to view, interpret and question geographic data in the form of maps, charts and reports. This information often reveals relationships, patterns and trends in a particular location.
In Guam, the use of GIS technology will allow information to be shared among all government of Guam departments and agencies in a more timely and accurate manner.
“This funding will improve the ability of our government to analyze and disseminate information using the latest technology,” said Governor Camacho. “The areas of education, health, public safety and infrastructure, as well as all other service areas in our government, will greatly benefit from this technology.”
According to the award notice, the grant money may be applied to a variety of government services including environmental protection, public health benefit tracking, and law enforcement and emergency response. The letter further stated that, pending the availability of funds, Guam could receive additional funding in the future.
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Governors Send Joint Letter to President Obama |
Territories want Secretary of the Interior to take lead in distribution of money March 10, 2009 Governor Felix P. Camacho, along with the governors of the United States Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands and American Samoa, recently sent a joint letter to President Barack Obama regarding countercyclical funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Under the ARRA, the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, administered by the U.S. Department of Education, provides states and territories with assistance to help prevent budget cuts in education and other essential public services. “This fund is essential to ensuring our territories can sustain critical government services amid challenging economic times,” said Governor Camacho. “We, as governors, joined together to let President Obama know that the territories welcome any additional funding that is available.” In their joint letter, the governors expressed their desire to see the Secretary of the Interior take the lead role in the distribution of the funds to the territories. Currently, the Secretary of Education is authorized to determine the terms and conditions of the appropriations and the total funding amount for each state and territory. “We believe the Department of Interior has the historical and institutional knowledge to best identify the issues affecting not just Guam, but all the territories in the Pacific,” said Governor Camacho. Copies of the letter were sent to Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. |
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A Message from the Governor of Guam
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