Total Fono budget proposed for FY2019 is $7.4 million

fono-building

The Fono is to get total funding of $7.4 million in the proposed ASG budget for Fiscal Year 2019;  $6.9 million is proposed in the regular Fono budget and $500,000 is listed in the Governor’s Special Programs as the Fono legislative subsidy.

According to the narrative for the additional half a million dollars in the Special Programs budget, this funding has been approved by the governor to assist and supplant the annual operation of the Legislature of American Samoa. It shall also provide financial assistance in major projects set by the Fono.

The additional funding puts the Fono above the threshold provided in the Budget Director’s budget call which said that funding should be set at the approved FY2018 levels.

The Fono’s approved budget for Fiscal Year 2018 was $6.9 million, the exact amount stated in the regular Fono budget proposed for FY 2019.

  • $5,182,000 is proposed for personnel, up slightly from $5,136,000 in this year’s budget.
  • $1.2 million is proposed for Materials and Supplies.
  • $337,500 is for travel and
  • $151,000 is for All Others

There are 220 positions in the Fono budget same as the current year.

The Fono budget is 100% locally funded.

Other items which are new in the Governor’s Special Programs budget are $500,000 for the Pacific Leaders Group Summit which the territory is hosting next year and $500,000 is proposed for Hope House.

The budget hearings begin this morning and those fronting before the joint hearings of the House and Senate Budget and Appropriations Committees today are the directors of Budget, Treasury, the Governor’s Office and High Court.

The joint hearings take place at the Fono guest house after the regular House and Senate sessions which are starting at 8am.