No line item vetoes this year — Lolo signs FY 2020 budget of $421.48 million

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga signed into law Monday this week, the government’s $421.48 million budget for fiscal year 2020 — which commenced yesterday, Oct. 1st — and includes ASG’s contribution to the Hope House.

The Fono made one amendment to the final budget bill - transferring its $500K subsidy under the Governor’s Special Programs to Fono operations, putting the Legislature’s final FY 2020 budget at $7.4 million — but didn’t inflate the final budget total.

In past years, the governor would line-item-veto changes made by the Fono but this time around, Lolo approved the FY 2020 budget bill “in its entirety.”

 “This approved budget is critical to allow ASG to continue to serve the people of American Samoa by providing necessary services and improvements through the next fiscal year,” Lolo wrote to Fono leaders in signing the budget bill into law.  He expressed appreciation to the Fono “for your hard work during this Legislative session to carefully consider the budget and the needs of the territory,” he concluded.

The FY 2020 budget is funded with more than $88.10 million in local revenues; $21.52 million in Interior Department grant-in-aid; $9.73 million in capital improvement projects; $129.95 million in special federal grants; and a  $174.15 million Enterprise Fund.

ASG CONTRIBUTION & HOPE HOUSE

One of the programs the government is providing funding allocation — for the second fiscal year in a row - is the “Hope House Contribution” of $100,000 - under the Governor’s Special Programs.

The first time the Administration allocated funds to Hope House was in FY 2019. Questions were raised during the Fono’s FY 2019 budget review, on whether it was appropriate for the government to donate to a church-run facility, considering the separation of church and government clause in the Constitution.

During last month’s FY 2020 budget review, there were no questions regarding the Hope House contribution. The governor informed lawmakers, through the budget letter, that Hope House is the only hospice facility on island and its capacity has been stretched to the limit because the demand is rapidly rising, but limited by available financial resources.

Lolo said Hope House has opened its doors to all residents regardless of religious affiliation. Additionally, LBJ Medical Center is feeling the implication of not having a hospice facility operated by ASG. He said it’s been observed that senior citizens who are admitted to LBJ “are very reluctant to be discharged because the service provided at home is not at the level received at LBJ.”

 “Consequently, LBJ is forced to provide services to these senior patients,” Lolo said, adding that this “threatens” LB’s Center for Medicaid and Medicare certification because patients must be discharged once determined that the person is eligible to be discharged.

 “The other observation is that the frequency of re-admittance of seniors is growing,” he explained. “This accentuates the need for Hope House and the need for the American Samoa Government to contribute to this operation.”

Last week Friday and Saturday, Hope House hosted its annual golf tournament to raise funds for operations of the Catholic run facility, which also houses children with severe disabilities.