GovGuam General fund numbers thru August 07

A quote from the emailer "Attached is a GovGuam revenue report through August.

Revenues are $444,602,928 vs. $375,332,185 last year, a $69,270,744, or 18.45% increase.

And they want to increase taxes?"

click the link for the pdf, it's clearer than the picture.
genfund.pdf

You gotta try this

Click the title and visit the VAJoe website for a quick poll on a variety of national issues. When your done, click "finish" and the site will tell you which Presidential candidate most closely matches your position. I'm pretty happy with the candidate I matched up with (I see him on TV all the time!) and will be watching the national elections pretty closely.

Another "Build-up" report for your collection

The GAO report to congressional committees.
d071015.pdf. Is it me, or is it a little bit spooky when the title is " Overseas Master Plans are improving, but DOD needs to provide additional information about the military buildup on Guam?"

Here is what everybody asked about the Military Buildup

Got a note from the Joint Guam Program Office. The comments and submission report from the EIS/OEIS town halls are out. You can visit their website or you can just read it by clicking here
Appendix_H.pdf I haven't read the entire report yet, but the first few pages I've flipped through have got some brilliant questions and comments unlike "the usual" that you here about in the media. Grab it, read it and tell me what you think.

The COLA Ad from the "Inter-Loopers"

While the legislature figures out how to get the LOLA COLA bill paid, there is a group who disagrees with the way the case was judged. We call them the Inter-loopers. They have put an AD in the Variety and will put one in the PDN This is what it says:

Mental Floss Magazine

There is a magazine out there I had not heard of, but from the website it looks like something I may subscribe too. Some intellectual content in an easy to "get" presentation that will make life a bit more interesting, no matter how much you think you already know. The magazine features "worksheets" like the one pictured here. I've alway marvelled at the human brain and this is a creative way to get to know my own.

follow the link to get yours.

http://www.mentalfloss.com/worksheets/pdf/wrksht_brain.pdf

Gov. Camacho reacts to the override of Bill 149

After the singing of songs and praying, Ben Pangelinan got ahold of the agenda and managed to get an override of the Gov's Veto of Bill 149. The Gov's office didn't waste anytime getting this into the media's inboxes. It's worth remembering that the lead counsel of the Taxpayer's case indicated that should an override be successful, they would move for a injunction against the implementation of the law. Developing!

We are clearly disappointed in this override considering the legal concerns we presented upon veto of this measure. The Senators had an opportunity to address the concerns we brought forth prior to the override to make this a valid transaction.

Bill 149 purports to make an irrevocable assignment of the GTA Promissory Note to the retiree class eligible for the COLA judgment award pursuant to Superior Court SP0206-93. Bill 149 does not resolve the restrictions imposed on the government of Guam by terms of the Note.

The primary restriction is that set forth in ¶ 7 of the Promissory Note, which provides:

7. Transfer. Without the written consent of the other party, neither
the Payor nor the Payee may assign or transfer any of its obligations or rights under this Promissory Note.

Basically, the assignment of the Promissory Note may likely be invalid since TeleGuam's written consent to assignment was not obtained. Even if the assignment is valid, the failure of the government of Guam to abide by the terms of the Note, specifically the anti-assignment provision, may render the Government liable for damages for breach of the Note.

It would have been easier to have authorized the Governor to transfer the note for the benefit of the COLA class.

Despite these concerns there is an opportunity for the remaining COLA judgment debt to be paid down thanks to Bill No. 168, introduced this week by Senators David Shimizu, Rory Respicio, Judith Guthertz, Tina Rose Muna Barnes and Adolpho Palacios.

We want to encourage the entire Legislative body to move forward on this measure so that this entire debt can be paid down instead of through piece-meal public laws that may not be enforceable and only delays the money that is owed to our retirees.

Here is the memo attached to the statement.

re_149.pdf

Moody's smiles on GPA

By now you've heard the good news about GPA's ratings. Here is the paperwork for your files. So here is the question, if your credit rating got a big boost, what would you do with it?

GPA%20Moody%27s%20%202007%20Update.pdf

Gov's office COLA-FAQ

In response to Phone Calls relative to the payment of $8M to Cola Awardees, please be guided by the following:

When will payments be made? As indicated in the media, the Fund will be meeting with the
Department of Administration to determine the process and the time-line for the issuance of checks.

How much will they get? If the average gross annuity is:

$7,800 or less --- they will be paid 100% of the COLA amount due to
them.

Greater than $7,800 and the COLA amount due to them is less than
$2,500 ---- they will be paid 100% of the COLA amount due to them.

Greater than $7,800 and the COLA amount due to them is greater than
$2,500 --- they will be paid approximately $501.00.


Does the $8M include Beneficiaries of Deceased Retirees and Survivors? Yes.

As a Beneficiary how much will I get? We are unable to provide this information --- pending clarification in so far as who that beneficiary will be.

Dr. McNinch makes a new survey

Our Pal Dr. Ron has released the results of a survey. Some interesting data, though some say, it i interesting that they would be asking the question on COLA anyway...Trial Balloon?

Ron's data follows:

Students of PA 402 Public Policy conducted a brief survey over the weekend.
These are from items in the local media.



150 Registered voters surveyed by telephone between September 1-3 2007. This type of sample has an error rate of about 8%; 4% using our adjusted error rate table. Below are two questions from this Public Policy class Survey:



COLA Payment Question

Right now there are a number of ideas to pay the COLA recipients. Which of the following ideas do you like best:

(A) Go to court and try to avoid paying; 6%

(B) Give the COLA recipients individual bonds instead of direct payments; 13%

© The Government should get a bond and pay the COLA recipients off; 45% or

(D) None of the above. 35%

Analysis:

About one third of the public does not have an opinion on this issue. Of the remaining 65%, the strong consensus (45/65 or ~70%) support the idea of getting a bond to pay off the obligation off directly. While about one in five of these who have an opinion like the individual bond idea, the direct consensus supports paying off the recipients.



Window Tinting Question

Right now there are a number of ideas regarding blackout window tinting. Which of the following ideas do you like best:

(B) Blackout window tinting should be phased out or banned because it is a public safety hazard; 37%

(C) People have an absolute right to privacy and blackout tinting protects privacy; 36%

(D) No tinting should be used in any vehicle; 7%

(E) None of the above. 19%



Analysis:

About 80% or four out of five voters have an opinion on window tinting. According to our studies conducted in the last five years for seatbelt use, about one third of cars on Guam have blackout tinting. In this study, 36% of voters support window dark tinting (adjusted 36/81 = 44%.) Of those in favor of regulation, 37% support some regulation and an additional 7% prefer a ban on all tinting. (Adjusted, 37/81 = 46% plus 7/81 = 9% ~= 55% in favor of regulation.) While it should be noted that Senator Ishizaki's proposal to better regulate tinting only affects front windshields, there is likely support to address blackout tinting in general.

New Cookbook Alert! New Cookbook Alert!

I got an email from your friend Paula Quinene in North Carolina. She's published a new Guam cook book, A Taste of Guam...here is what her website says about it:

.....sharing Chamorro culture through food. This book includes the author's collection of recipes: Chamorro BBQ, Other Island Favorites, Guam Desserts, Mix of America, and a Treasure Chest of Sweets. A Taste of Guam has the best recipe for guyuria (fried cookies dusted with sugar syrup), roskette (cornstarch cookies) and latiya (pound cake with custard and cinnamon). This Guam cookbook is a must have for those in need of great Chamorro recipes!

The website will tell you how to order. Tell me she's got a recipe for Tinala Cadne'!

GPSS has a new Website!

Congrats to Louis and the team from GPSS on the launch of their new website. I poked around a bit to see what I could see. A high point: A listing of the schools with phone and fax numbers. Some had principal names, some did not. I wonder if the blanks were blank for a reason.

I was dissapointed to see the pages for students and parents were blank (as of this writing). Perhaps regulations for discipline, truancy, attendance, uniforms and bus schedules could be included in future edits of the site.