Office of Finance and Budget

The General Fund is the fund into which all government revenues, not  otherwise restricted by statute, are deposited and from which appropriations are made. The Government of Guam is the only taxing authority and there are no separate municipal, county, school district or  improvement district taxes.The three primary sources of General Fund revenues are Income Taxes, Business Privilege Taxes, also known as gross receipt tax (GRT), and Federal Sources. Under the Organic Act, Guam’s Income Tax Code mirrors the United States Internal Revenue Code. As a result, the income tax laws in force in the United States are applied to the residents of the Island, however, payable to the Treasury of Guam. Gross receipts taxes are levied on a broad base of goods and services, including  the sale of tangible personal property and the provision of professional service. Federal Sources include Section 30 funds. Section 30 of the Organic Act of Guam requires that all customs duties and Federal income taxes, quarantine, passport, immigration, and naturalization fees collected on Guam shall be covered into the Treasurer of Guam. These include federal income taxes from military personnel based on-island or consider Guam as their state of legal residence.

Special Revenue Funds are created by statute or Executive Order with an identified source of  revenue  or  appropriation. Expenditures from such funds are restricted to purposes set by statute or as sources for debt service payment for bonds issued for constructing and improving major facilities and infrastructures. Several  of the more significant Special Revenue Funds include the:

• Tourist Attraction Fund
• Guam Highway Fund
• Territorial Education Facilities Fund
• Customs & Quarantine Inspections Fund
• Solid Waste Operations Fund.

Federal Grants-in-Aid are funds received by the Government for public service delivery, either for specific programs or for general purpose aid. Federal Grant funds, which may require local matching funds, are requested through various Federal agencies and are spent according to the terms and conditions approved by the respective Federal grantor agency. Major Federal grantor agencies include the United States Department of Education, Health and Human Services, Interior, and Agriculture.

These funds are financed and operated in a manner similar to a private  business enterprise where the cost of  providing services to the public on a continuing basis is financed or recovered primarily through user charges. Autonomous agencies such as the Guam Power Authority, Guam International Airport Authority, and Guam Waterworks Authority generate revenues to fund operational and capital requirements. Other agencies, such as the Guam Visitor’s Bureau, University of Guam and Guam Community College, require subsidies from the General Fund and other external sources to meet their operational requirements.