YOU SHOULD BE MAKING $10,000 MORE!

The last significant pay increase our public servants received was in 1989 popularly known as the $5440 pay raise across the board. Since then, our public servants have not received a significant pay increase. Taking the lowest amount in the GovGuam pay scale of $13,990, this person should be making $23,994.83 in 2008 based on an inflation calculator. This is about a $10,000 difference! This clearly shows our workers are not given the opportunity to live a decent lifestyle. Prices have steadily increased yet wages are still below the poverty line. With such a large percentage of workers qualifying for public assistance programs, they become a tax burden as opposed to being a taxpayer. The Living Wage Bill proposed will raise wages for everyone on Guam and make workers become taxpayers that will help fund education, healthcare, safety, and other important public services. This will have a significant effect in our workers and will improve Guam’s economy.