Legislature cannot pledge Compact Impact funding or abrogate Interior Department authority December 5, 2008 Governor Felix P. Camacho today vetoed Bill No. 377 (EC), which sought to pledge Compact Impact funding for the construction costs of a new landfill. The measure purportedly would have pledged funding normally allocated for education, health and safety needs. "The authorization to use Compact Impact funds is misplaced and conflicts with federal law," Governor Camacho wrote in his veto message to Speaker Judith Won Pat. "The Department of Interior has already approved the use of Compact Impact funds and therefore Bill No. 377 cannot abrogate their authority." Compact Impact funding is awarded to Guam by the U.S. Congress and disbursed at the discretion of the Governor. The Governor of Guam prioritizes funding needs and requests disbursement of funds based on those needs. When approved, the government of Guam incurs costs approved by the Governor for use authorized by the Interior Department and the funding is reimbursed by the federal government to the Treasury of Guam. The Legislature does not appropriate this funding. "Guam currently receives $14 million in Compact Impact funds," the Governor explained in his veto message. "The Department of Interior has approved $7 million for the Guam School Leaseback Program. The balance of the proceeds for fiscal year 2009 has also been approved for various health and safety services including the implementation of services required by the federal permanent injunction."
Guam's allocation of $14 million is grossly under-reimbursed of the true impact annually of more than $60 million of government services provided to citizens of the Freely Associated States who migrate to Guam. Half of that reimbursement already is dedicated to the financing of new schools, which leaves only $7 million per year for all other associated costs of the impact of migration from the Freely Associated States. Click here to view the Governor's veto message. (jpg format) |
