The office of Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has claimed that the Legislature “chooses hypocrisy over hard work” according to the administration’s news release on Aug. 17 in response to an amendment by Speaker Therese Terlaje for the budget bill.

Terlaje’s amendment initiated that fiscal year 2024 appropriations to the governor’s office will not be effective until the funds of FY 2023 are deposited to the Guam Department of Education in accordance with Public Law 37-5. The amendment passed with the approval of eight senators out of the eligible voting twelve.

In response, the Leon Guerrero-Tenorio administration noted that the Legislature was wrong on the facts and wrong on the law by ignoring its own conduct and the separation of powers.

“Subsequent to the onset of Typhoon Mawar, the Legislature passed an additional law authorizing the governor to fund $50 million in Typhoon Mawar recovery from any available source. The governor acted as the Legislature authorized and has continued to provide the GDOE access to these funds, even when GDOE still had over $100 million in unspent federal money for school repairs,” noted the administration. “The Legislature passed bad law. Now, instead of admitting its error honestly, it is resorting to political extortion in a blackmail budget. This erosion of checks and balances is a threat to the democratic foundation of our government.”

The administration also had numerous questions for Terlaje and Sen. Chris Barnett regarding their concerns about GDOE’s funding.

“Why did they secure a million-dollar budget increase for the Legislature in FY24 while at the same time saying our kids are suffering? Why have they allowed the Legislature to stash a million dollars or more in unspent, lapsed cash? And why do they run a branch that expends millions in taxpayer dollars without ever having to answer the public in an open hearing?” questioned the administration.

The administration concluded that the timing of the constant debates should also lead to a question of the actions of the legislative branch.

“At the same time that the Legislature shouts about failed GDOE procurement or the mystery of lapsed funds, the Legislature is seated in a lavish building filled with equipment bought because it is exempt from Guam’s procurement law and carries hundreds of thousands in lapsed funds whose expenses are never accountable to anyone.”

The amendment was passed by Terlaje, Barnett and Sens. Chris Duenas, Frank Blas Jr., Telo Taitague, Sabina Perez, Joanne Brown and Jesse Lujan.

Terlaje justified her amendment by noting announcements from GDOE.

“We heard an announcement that the funds that were appropriated to GDOE by P.L. 37-5 were taken and used for the executive branch instead,” said Terlaje. “If they don’t get this money, they will not be able to certify funds to hire personnel or will have to choose between hiring or paying other critical needs of the agency.”

Terlaje then noted in her closing statement that her bill to allow the governor to use $50 million for typhoon recovery was intended to be used in good faith.

“Never did I imagine that the governor would say the only place we would get that money is from GDOE, who were struggling at that point even before the storm,” noted Terlaje. “The respectful ways that we have approached this did not work. We still have parents and teachers that are stressed to the top.”

Brown stated that she has no problem standing her ground because the administration has continued to spend federal money without accounting for it.

“They pretty much ran their show down there and pretty much ignored the Legislature,” said Brown. “While the amendment sends a bold message, we have to be ready for the consequences.”

Sen. Joe San Agustin voiced his disapproval of the amendment in his senatorial role as he cited his experience on the Guam Board of Education and the legislative oversight chair on government appropriations.

“I always fought for GDOE, but when I got into the Legislature, it always puzzled me how GDOE would always say ‘We’re short,’” noted San Agustin. “It’s all with management. Take a look at the record of how they spent the money. Did they fix the schools that we are now barking that they need to fix? No.”

San Agustin added that he’ll continue to fight for the children, but he still can’t support the amendment.

“I’ll fight for the children once management in GDOE starts doing their job. We need to go after GDOE first and find out where they’re at,” added San Agustin. “I can’t support shutting down an office, especially the executive branch.”

Vice Speaker Tina Muña Barnes shared her disapproval of the amendment as “two wrongs don’t make a right.”

“We just talked about respecting each equal branch of government, and now we’re going to do this?” questioned Barnes. “That’s not showing any respect. What are we trying to threaten or do? This is not good for the government of Guam as a whole.”