Admin’s proposed supplemental budget includes $1Mil for the Legislative 75th Anniversary celebration

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Administration’s supplemental budget appropriation of more than $7.4 million, allocates $1 million to the Legislative Branch for the 75th Anniversary Commemoration.

The legislation was introduced in the Senate yesterday and assigned to the Budget and Appropriations Committee, whose chairman, Sen. Magalei Logovi’i announced a committee hearing today to discuss the measure.

The bill is expected to be introduced in the House this week and faipule were informed of a communication from the Governor’s Office regarding the supplemental appropriation.

At Monday’s opening of the 38th Legislature during a joint session, Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean — in delivering the Fono’s response to Gov. Lemanu P. S Mauga’s State of the Territory Address — said that the Legislature is celebrating its 75th Anniversary this year; and requested the Administration for any financial support possible to help mark this milestone in the Fono’s history.

Samoa News understands that planning has begun for the anniversary celebration, but no details were available yet on when it will happen, but it’s expected to be sometime in the summer.

Also proposed to be funded with the supplemental bill is $300,000 for the American Samoa Flag Day, Manu’a Flag Day, Swains Island Flag Day and Heritage Week in Hawaii. This funding allocation and the Fono’s 75th Anniversary are among the eleven-budget items to be funded by the supplemental budget.

A majority of the project items were initially proposed by the Administration in the FY 2022 supplemental bill, which failed to garner majority support in both the Senate and House in the 4th Regular Session of the 37th Legislature last year, and therefore the bill was automatically defeated.

The highest budget allocation — proposed in the FY 2023 supplement — is just over $3.1 million to the Governor’s Office for support of infrastructure, transportation and emergency response in Manu’a including but not limited to its tremors and potential volcano eruptions, evacuation of residents, construction of escape routes and safe zones. Funding would further provide for other needs of Manu’a residents during such an emergency period.

Other appropriated sums would be to the following agencies for the indicated purposes:

• Legislative Branch to address additional critical operational needs for the Legislature’s operation that are not addressed in the FY 2023 budget, $500,000;

• Governor’s office to extend the Centennial book contract to support newly created chapters to document the current administration, $250,000;

• Governor’s Office to provide local matching funds for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law projects, $500,000;

• Legal Affairs Department for legal fees for off-island counsel in ongoing and anticipated litigation, $500,000;

• Samoan Language Commission to pay for rent, salaries, and other expenses, $500,000;

• Territorial Audit Office to pay for salary and related personnel expenses for a Territorial Auditor or Territorial Audit Office staff, $150,000;

• Governor’s Office to provide for the American Samoa Resilience Commission and the Governor’s Resiliency Office for administrative and staffing needs, $100,000; and

• Governor’s Office for drug enforcement efforts, $500,000.

The supplemental bill is funded from “unbudgeted, unobligated and unexpended” revenues from FY 2021. Additionally, the legislation becomes effective immediately upon passage by the Fono and approval by the governor due to the urgent need to assist in providing adequate funding for government operations.