By Jayvee Vallejera
The 37th Guam Legislature has passed three bills that aim to make clean drinking water affordable for all residents, exempt some owners from a tax increase on their properties and remove the statute of limitations on elderly abuse. All three bills now head to the desk of Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero for action.
The first measure, Bill 273-37, which is meant to make clean water available and affordable for all Guam residents, intends to make that happen by requiring the Guam Waterworks Authority to:
· Create a customer assistance program to provide financial aid to low-income and eligible households;
· Promote water conservation;
· Ease the process for leak detection and repairs on private property; and
· Reduce water loss and added costs shouldered by GWA customers.
Bill 273-37 was authored by Sen. Sabina Flores Perez, who said in statement: “By providing financial assistance and addressing water conservation, we are not only supporting our community's most vulnerable members but also protecting our precious resources.”
Perez said trends indicate Guam could be in for a dry spell—if not drought conditions—in the future, which makes it even more critical to repair or replace leaking water pipes to conserve water resources from depletion and prevent making water an expensive resource for Guam’s people.
The second bill, Bill 265-37, came about after Speaker Therese Terlaje found out that the administration planned to conduct a revaluation of islandwide real property with American Rescue Plan funds. A statement from her office said that, without her bill, Guam residents who do not have an exemption will likely see their real property taxes increase.
Specifically, Bill 265-37 provides tax relief to property owners of A, R1, R2, C, and M1 Zone properties used exclusively for residential purposes and A and R1 Zone unimproved properties. The bill defers increases in the tax assessments on these properties due to the 2024-2025 islandwide property revaluation. The Guam Legislature passed the bill unanimously.
That tax increase moratorium will end, though, when property ownership is transferred to someone other than an immediate family member, the land is rezoned, or the owner is granted a new conditional use of the property.
Sen. Dwayne T.D. San Nicolas' Bill 243-37 aims to remove the statute of limitations on financial and property exploitation of an elderly person or an individual with a disability.
San Nicolas said the bill fights the abuse and financial and property exploitation of Guam’s senior citizens and individuals with disabilities by putting the law on their side.
“Financial exploitation of our manamko’ and individuals with disabilities is a heinous crime that should not have a statute of limitations,” he said in a statement.
According to the National Council on Aging, up to five million older Americans are abused every year, and the annual loss by victims of financial abuse is estimated to be at least $36.5 billion.
Guam Attorney General Douglas Moylan had testified in support of the bill's passage at its public hearing on April 1.
Also, the 37th Guam Legislature has passed Resolution 218-37 to express support for legislation in Washington, D.C., that covers the costs of shipping adaptive vehicles for qualified Guam veterans with disabilities.
San Nicolas, himself a veteran, noted the high cost of shipping, especially for those living out in Guam. “Amending the federal law will not only cover shipping costs for adaptive vehicles or other conveyances for disabled veterans who qualify for financial assistance but will also help them maintain their independence,” he said.
Qualified veterans with disabilities are provided financial assistance to buy adaptive vehicles or other conveyances, but these vehicles are not available on Guam. That means Guam’s veterans have to buy these vehicles in the U.S. mainland, which end up costing them thousands of dollars.
To address this, Guam Congressman James Moylan had introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives H.R. 522, or the “Deliver for Veterans Act,” which intends to cover the cost of shipping these vehicle to Guam. Resolution 218-37 supports that bill’s passage.
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