Auntie Charo's Soapbox

I think it is a Scottish that had the saying; "Penny wise, Pound foolish." Seems these days the mucky-mucks of GovGuam are just that..penny wise, etc. According to KUAM, the actg. Gov. has put together a list of things that government can and can't do to save bucks.......I like the part about the travel. During the first part of this administration's term.....all the agencies discovered parts of this whole world....China, Europe, the U.S., etc.......at what cost, who knows. Now, we're talking travel, but at the cheapest fares......hmm, he didn't say that the agencies should be savvy enough to arrange their travel in time for saving big bucks....like the 7-day, 14-day etc., air fares.....but more than that.....he(and his boss) can almost make all the travel for the entire government entirely free........by making all government paid travel tickets have the perks turned over to a government account. Various private companies fly their employees for free using mileage points. We can surely use these mileage points for those that need air fares to hospitals in the U.S. or the P.I....
Then of course, there's the power that the entire govGuam agencies use as if there was no tomorrow.......when the offices close up for the day......the air cons don't necessarily go off, the computers aren't turned off....etc.....I'm sure that there are agencies that can't turn these mentioned items off but most agencies can almost turn off the main switch when they close up for the night.
And...I'm sure the people at Advance Management aren't going to love me but.........can't we get the students to pick up a mop and broom to pick up the room before they leave the class room at the end of the day? (rotate it so that all get the wonderful chance to help)...Those that misbehave can do the yard work. I hear that's how Fr. Duenas Memorial High School keeps their grounds in such good shape. I think it's called, 'justice for God' or, JUG for short. I've heard that some boys have been known to lay tile and hang doors for the school. I'm not suggesting that public school students lay tile or fix air conditioners but they can do light work to instill pride in where they attend school and the government can save a few buck....paying a few dollars for what the kids can't do such as fixing or maintenance and the like........
Oh....and those streetlights that working 24-7....they're everywhere....bet if we drove around the island and fixed them to work only after dark.......we'd save at least a dollar ninety-eight!
And those wonderful cell phones......I think it's time to review the accounts payables and see just how many dollars we've been spending on them.......I don't think we all need to have a cell phone........gosh, I remember when it was vogue to have a beeper! I think this is where the actg. gov. should consider the cheapest rates....I've seen some pretty snazzy phones....the ones that take pictures and all........hmm, maybe I'm just jealous because I don't own a phone....
And how about those car rental units....or those who get reimbursed for gas....does anyone really check those chits when they're turned in?
There's a ton of ways for the government to save money.....but it'll be hard to break the spending habit....it's so easy to spend the money when it's not yours. There's a thinking about money and government and unless you're outside looking it, you never 'get it'....remember the issue about the dump and the big fine from uncle Sam of more than $3K per day or something like this and the director of DPW says publicly....oh well, it's just $3k per day? I'm not sure how much the fine amounts to at this writing but I'm sure it's in the ten$ of thou$and$......and we'll continue to keep the dump open because it's just a small fine that we have to pay.......
How many other agency directors think this way? I wonder if the actg. Gov. should call a cabinet meeting and have a think tank going on how to save pennies........truly.....if you pick enough of them up.......you'll have a hefty amount at the end of the day....and that's a beginning.
Gosh.....we could even get trash cans at all govGuam agencies and collect aluminum cans........I know someone that treats his family to a great dinner out once a month just on the cans he collects...just a thought.
That's my laundry list.......what's yours?