Proposed FY 2023 budget increase of 25% not distributed evenly across the agencies

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The American Samoa Government’s proposed budget for the new fiscal year (FY) has allocated $19.58 million for Special Programs.

This is part a $693.41 million budget for FY 2022-2023 with $84.54 million allocated for salaries.

The proposed budget has increased over the previous financial year’s $552.78 million budget — by 25 percent.

According to Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga’s executive summary of the budget submitted to the Fono, the budget for contractual services amounts to $15.73 million.

Under all others are the subsidies of $2 million to the hospital, $1 million to the Board of Higher Education; and $150,000 to the former Governors allowances and $700,000 for the EOB maintenance.

There’s also $3 million allocated to the Medicaid office.

Other subsidies according to the proposed budget is $1 million to the Airport General Fund; TAOA $100,000; Sports Complex $300,000; DAS Housing $350,000; road maintenance, $1 million; farm and fishing $100,000 each; print shop also $100,000 and $150,00 for the shipyard.

A total of $400,000 has been allocated for ceremonial activities and $300,000 for the Governor’s contingency fund.

Golf Course House Renovation $450,000 has been allocated; with $200,000 for the Pago Harbor Cleanup; and $1.4 million for insurance premiums.

Planned expenditures saw an increase in the proposed budget for the Department of Education. Last year’s approved budget was $82.28 million with the proposed budget set at $88.4 million consisting of $66.87 million in grants.

For the Department of Health, last year’s budget was $21.67 million and the proposed budget is upped to $32.42 million.

However the budget indicates a decrease for Human and Social Services Department.

Last year’s budget was $95.11 million with the proposed budget slashed to $30.83 million. Meanwhile, the approved budget for the Medicaid State Agency from last year was $1.94 million with the proposed budget set at whopping $86.21 million.

For the Department of Commerce the proposed budget is $11.13 million up from last year’s budget of $7 million.

The Department of Public Work’s previous budget was $7.83 million and the new proposed budget is $8.2 million.

The Legislature’s budget approved last year was $8.11 million with the proposed budget increasing to $9.11 million.

As reported earlier, Governor Lemanu said there are four main funding components in the budget plan that consists of federal grants, enterprise funds, capital improvements and local funding.

The total fiscal year 2023 final budget is capped at $693,415,535 reflecting an increase if $140,630,435 or 25 percent above the fiscal year 2022 aggregate budget of $522,785.

“The overall total increase is attributed to the significant surge in federal grants due to COVID-19.”

According to the report, local revenue to be collected is $117 million, with grants allocated at 49 % or $341 million; enterprise funding at $223 million and Capital Improvements amounting to $10 million.

For expenditures, $84,543,000 is for salaries; $3.1 million for materials and supplies, while contractual services are at $17 million and $891,500 for travel; $11 million allocated under “others” and $586,500 for equipment.