Dealing with GovGuam

GovGuam once again failed to send us a property tax bill. So I took the initiative and went in to pay the obligation -- weeks ahead of the deadline. But they had the audacity to charge me $1 for a "duplicate" bill (which I needed in order to proceed to the cashier).

The men I dealt with were genuinely perplexed as to why I thought the whole thing was unacceptable. They fail to deliver a bill but I show up anyway -- then they charge me extra for their snafu. No apologies, no sympathy -- just stone-faced indifference.

While I was in the Rev & Tax building (and having such luck with the system) I attempted to get some tax forms that the school needs. But the woman monitoring the forms wanted me to fill out a form to request the W-2GU tax forms which were within reach on the shelf behind behind her. And the request form required the school's EIN (which I didn't have with me). These are common forms that are normally handed out without question in the IRS offices in the states or downloadable for free from the GovGuam website when it is up-to-date.

When I explained to the woman that it didn't make sense she got all huffy and told me that this is the way they've done it for years -- sweet justification for misfeasant bureaucracy.

I've just got to relax and not let the mindless absurdity of business as usual on the island get to me. Take a deep breath, count to 10, say the Jesus Creed, smile...