A characterization of substitute Bill 266-38 as a "status quo" budget re-emerged Monday as lawmakers questioned proposed appropriations for public safety agencies, including the Guam Police Department.
Sen. Shawn Gumataotao noted the FY2027 budget was essentially flat, saying, "We know ... this FY2027 budget book is mostly status quo. And Mr. Chair, the executive branch does have much to do ... especially on the eve of full implementation of performance-based budgeting."
Gumataotao invited Office of Finance and Budget Director Stephen Guerrero to "allay concerns" over funding for GPD's police recruit cycle.
Guerrero said the law authorizes GPD to run a police cycle of no fewer than 20 recruits per year, a mandate OFB has budgeted for over the past three years. The 20 positions are funded at approximately $1.2 million annually; the FY2027 budget reflects a six-month appropriation of $606,847 covering the cycle through the end of the fiscal year, from April to Sept. 30.
"And that's how they are funded. We go through the cycle again for the next fiscal year to appropriate money for the next cycle the same way," Guerrero said.
Guerrero noted GPD's vacant recruit positions result in lapses — $3.2 million projected for May of this year, $5.6 million in September 2025 and $2 million in the FY2024 audit — and that $5.2 million in federal grant funds remains unspent for hiring new officers. OFB asserted there is sufficient funding for the positions.
Not all concerns were allayed. Sen. Chris Barnett stressed that the late Chief of Police Stephen Ignacio had requested a $66 million budget for the fiscal year.
"Sadly, GPD is getting a status quo budget. With the crime out there, the drugs, you really expect more than a status quo budget for the public safety in the Guam Police Department," Barnett said.
He said the 37th Guam Legislature had funded multiple recruit cycles annually, and criticized the current approach.
"Many conversations with the late Chief Ignacio about running two cycles in a calendar year, which is something we've traditionally funded. So this explanation that we're only going to do one cycle until May of next year and that's why we're only going to fund one — I don't think it flies for the people of Guam," Barnett said.
Barnett also questioned whether a $1.5 million appropriation made two years ago for School Resource Officers (SROs) — GPD officers assigned to each GDOE high school — had been exhausted. Guerrero said the balance as of May stands at $109,000 but was unsure whether it carried over as a lapse.
"At least for FY27, Senator, we did give the authorization to utilize their funding to pay for whatever cost is, for the School Resource Officer program," Guerrero said.
Barnett was not satisfied. "And that's the problem, again, is it's unfunded ... how embarrassing is that — a status quo public safety budget," he said.
Senators also raised the triennial retention bonus — a $10,000 bonus for officers every three years established under public law — which is not funded in the substitute bill.
"Why were the requests from the late Chief Ignacio, relative to his asks for this public safety budget, why were they ignored? Why are we not funding the triennial retention bonus that's on the books as public law," Barnett said.
Guerrero contended the law's three-year clock does not begin until FY2028. Barnett disagreed with that interpretation.
Sen. Joe San Agustin noted that SROs were at one point federally funded and coordinated through the courts with Department of Justice support.
"I'm just surprised that it's going this route," San Agustin said, noting GPD will need to find money for SROs within its existing budget. He said he would introduce an amendment in the appropriate chapter at a later time.
Sen. Sabina Perez raised concern over what she described as an overall reduction to GPD's budget.
"The point I am trying to make is that the budget before us today reduces the overall GPD budget by the $530,000 amount. And so there's going to be an impact to the agency," Perez said, referring to the unfunded Malik Program.
Guerrero confirmed the program is not reflected in GPD's FY2027 budget despite being requested in budget meetings. He said the impact "would be difficult" to assess given GPD's lump-sum budget structure, but said based on GPD's lapse history, "it'd be safe to say at this point that this can be absorbed."