While official confirmation will come in the FY2015 audit report for the American Samoa Government, unaudited financial statements for the government for the year ended September 30 , 2015 shows that the Lolo Lemanu administration has achieved a first in decades. It collected more than it spent.
An analysis of the fourth quarter financial report for ASG for FY2015 by the Legislative Financial Office shows that ASG collected local revenues of $103.3 million but spent $98.3 million, leaving a positive balance of $4.9 million.
Looking at the financial reports, which are preliminary until ASG’s books for the previous fiscal year are closed, many of the departments which have been in the news for financial woes affecting services and programs they offer, have money left over.
These include the Department of Education which is showing a balance of $931,671, Public Safety showing $226,010, and even the road maintenance subsidy which is to fix roads reflected an unused balance of $301,619.
Yet vendors which provided services for some of the departments showing positive balances are still waiting to be paid.
Or employees have not been paid overtime because of the lack of funds.
At DOE it’s now well publicized that there are not enough desks and chairs for students, and teachers usually have to buy instructional material.
Commissioner of Public Safety Save Liuato Tuitele during a hearing on overtime pay for cops was surprised when told that he had money leftover in his Fiscal Year 2015 budget.
He said when he asked the Budget Offfice, he was told DPS doesn’t have any money left.
Even 100% federally funded agencies like TAOA shows a balance of 128,971 for FY2015.
KHJ News has learned that all vendors of the hot meal program are owed money from FY2015 .
The vendors have been meeting with the TAOA management to try and get payment as many are small operators .
One vendor said she was owed more than $40,000 going back to last year.
She said one of the problems was the late drawdown of federal funds due to late submission of paperwork.
Another supplier of meals for the elderly citizens said she hopes Treasury can make partial payments for her business as she cannot afford much longer to front up the money for the hot meal program.
KHJ News points out that a positive fund position for ASG helps instill investor confidence for the American Samoa Economic Development Authority bonds.
Regarding the overage of revenues vs expended funds for FY2015, Legislative Financial Officer Talalemotu Mauga has written to the Speaker and Senate President saying the law provides that any unbudgeted revenue received during the fiscal year would be available for appropriation by the Fono and cannot be spent unless the Fono so approves.
He recommended that the Fono appropriate $1 million for repairs for the Fono Fale and $5 million for the main Fono building.
