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Topasna: Senators should stop salary increments during COVID

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You are the owner of this article.You have permission to edit this article.PAY RAISE: Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority board Chairman Sabino Flores said at Monday's hearing that the salary increase for GHURA Executive Director Ray Topasna, center, hasn't yet been implemented. In this file photo, they are preparing to present the keys to the Guam Police Department Sinajana Precinct Command.&nbsp;Post file photoRay TopasnaBack to TopGuam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority Executive Director Ray Topasna on Monday told senators that they have a choice to pass a bill that would place a moratorium on all salary increments because of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that other GovGuam agencies have given these salary changes.GHURA was the subject of Monday's three-hour legislative roundtable for, among other things, ratifying on Sept. 11 a 4% salary increment retroactive to January for Topasna and one other official.&nbsp;"Everyone wants to point fingers at me," Topasna said at the roundtable, which he had requested. "And quite frankly, if what you're saying is no one is entitled to a salary increment because thousands of people are suffering, then I really recommend that the Guam Legislature pass a law or talk to the governor about implementing or signing an executive order that says no salary increments are going to be processed moving forward because of the COVID."Classified employees are entitled by statute to receive an annual increment based on an evaluation per the merit system. Typically, increments are less Cabinet members and other political appointees are non-classified employees.&nbsp;Public Health employeesTopasna conceded that, with respect to his most recent pay raise, "the timing is bad."&nbsp;"But my wife just received her increment in May from Public Health so if you're suggesting the timing is bad for me, then you're suggesting that my wife’s timing is bad, it's not her fault," he said, before saying that senators may also be describing other GovGuam employees' salary increment as bad timing as well.Sen. James Moylan, at the roundtable, asked Committee on General Government Operations, Appropriations and Housing Chairman Sen. Joe San Agustin that his Bill 403 be publicly heard.Moylan's Bill 403 seeks to prohibit salary increments and the authorization of retroactive payments for unclassified agency heads during a declaration of a public health emergency.Rescind pay raiseTopasna told senators that rescinding a salary adjustment for any employee who received a rating of satisfactory or better would violate GHURA's personnel rules and regulations and compensation plan.His 4% salary increment is tied to a highly satisfactory performance evaluating rating that the board gave him in June, for the period covering Jan. 2019 to Jan. 2020.Topasna said while the timing is bad, GHURA board doesn't have a choice but to ratify the salary increment or be subjected to an audit finding.From 2-5 p.m., GHURA presented and answered questions from senators about the salary increment, GHURA delaying for two months the GovGuam audit for fiscal 2019, and corrective actions on the 2019 audit deficiencies identified.Sens. Régine Biscoe Lee, Sabina Perez and Telo Taitague and other senators said at the end of the day, despite the difference in technical terms or process, Topasna has been authorized a salary change while some 30,000 other workers have been displaced by the pandemic."Even though increment is based on merit, it's a raise. It's a salary adjustment although there's a technical difference it's the same," Lee said. "You're still getting more money for the job you're doing."Including the latest $6,000-plus pay increment whether implemented now or later, would give Topasna some $22,000 in salary bump since becoming GHURA executive director in January 2019.GHURA board Chairman Sabino Flores said during Friday's board meeting that Topasna's pay is "status quo" until the board fully reviews a public auditor's performance audit on GHURA personnel.At this time, Topasna's annual salary remains unchanged, at&nbsp;$153,479. Napoli's salary also is unchanged at $106,985.The public auditor sought the attorney general's opinion on GHURA's unclassified salary pays and bonuses.&nbsp;The former attorney general said retroactive salary increases are illegal, and this has been repeated by current elected officials.&nbsp;GHURA also shared with senators the status of COVID-19 mortgage and rent relief programs, federally funded programs to prevent and combat homelessness, and Guma' Trankilidåt, a government assisted living facility.Haidee Eugenio GilbertThe coronavirus pandemic has underscored the need for locally made products, according to Pepsi Guam Bottling General Manager Jon Denight.Atkins Kroll on Monday announced the temporary closure of its corporate office and parts department for deep cleaning.The District Court of Guam, alongside the District Court of the Northern Marianas Islands, Guam Bar Association, and the Northern Marianas Bar Association is hosting the second of its Bankruptcy Seminar Series.Poll results are published every Monday in The Guam Daily Post.You voted:BackThe final stretch to the election means voters can't waste their voice.Ginen I Hinasso Column (From A Thought)I have spent the entire summer sending off letters to people whom I’ve established through my professional dealings as a teacher and was fortu…We all agree the key preparation in the fight against COVID-19 is ensuring Guam’s hospitals are well stocked and staffed.

You are the owner of this article.You have permission to edit this article.PAY RAISE: Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority board Chairman Sabino Flores said at Monday's hearing that the salary increase for GHURA Executive Director Ray Topasna, center, hasn't yet been implemented. In this file photo, they are preparing to present the keys to the Guam Police Department Sinajana Precinct Command.&nbsp;Post file photoRay TopasnaBack to TopGuam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority Executive Director Ray Topasna on Monday told senators that they have a choice to pass a bill that would place a...

Topasna: Senators should stop salary increments during COVID

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