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Guam - Senator Chris Duenas is concerned that despite his request for an expedited hearing on his "Bucks for Buses" bill, Speaker Judi Won Pat has not scheduled a date yet.

In a release to the media, the Senator says he has sent a letter to Speaker Won Pat expressing his concern "that we are not giving this crisis the attention it deserves."

Bill 491 would reverse the salary increases Senators approved for themselves in late 2010, rolling their annual salaries back to $55,308 from $60,840 now. That would save about $120-thousand annually which Duenas has proposed giving to DPW to help fund the struggling school bus program.

READ Bill 491 HERE

Duenas had initially asked the Speaker to waive the requirement for a public hearing and call session early or call for a special session to vote on the bill quickly so that DPW would have the money it needs before the start of the school year.

However the Speaker has postponed the start of the August Session until August 27th, after the start of the school year.

Dueanas says he hopes the Speaker's lack of action is "not a stall tactic to hold on to the pay raises,"  which he points out were passed before he became a Senator.

"We need to lead by example," says Duenas in his release, adding "If we truly want to make our island a better place, we need to start with ourselves."

READ Senator Duenas' release in FULL below:

Despite Requests, No Hearing Scheduled by Speaker to Repeal Senatorial Pay Raises
Senator Duenas sends follow-up request and voices concern.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 2, 2012

Hagatna, Guam Senator Chris Duenas sent a letter to Speaker Won Pat today expressing concern that a public hearing has not been scheduled to address his Bucks for Busses bill. Duenas’ Bucks for Busses Bill No. 491-31 (COR) would immediately repeal senatorial pay raises and augment funding at DPW School Bus Operations.  Duenas sent a letter to the Speaker last week requesting that the hearing be waived. Speaker Won Pat, who instead responded with a memo postponing session to after the start of the school year in late August, denied the request.

“With the recent decision to postpone session, and no action to schedule a public hearing by the standing committee with oversight of this bill, I am concerned that we are not giving this crisis the attention it deserves. This is an opportunity for the I Liheslaturan Guåhan to shoulder some of the burden we have tasked thousands of government employees to take on. It should be a shared sacrifice. ” Duenas said, referring to frozen increments, frozen incentive pay for police officers,  and the repeal of salary Hay Study increases.

He further stated that his Bucks for Busses bill reducing Senatorial salaries “could be used as a dedicated funding source to augment the bus fleet by funding mechanics and providing a regular stock of parts and inventory annually.”

Duenas said he hopes this is not a stall tactic to hold on to the pay raises that were passed prior to him entering into office. “We need to lead by example. If we truly want to make our island a better place, we need to start with ourselves,” Duenas said.