The Fono is approving the Fiscal Year 2022 budget bill as presented by the Lemanu/Talauega administration without any changes.
That was the outcome of a joint meeting of the House and Senate held this morning.
Only the House Speaker, Senate President and Senator Soliai Tuipine spoke during the 15 minute joint meeting.
Senate leader Tuaolo Manaia Fruean said the Senate was ready to vote on the budget bill in final reading today. He said he had informed senators of the meeting he and the speaker held with the Acting Governor and they will heed what was agreed to.
The Speaker expressed surprise that the Senate was ready to vote in final reading on the appropriations bill.
He said they had reviewed the budget bill jointly and was expecting they would deliberate together on their action on the appropriations bill. Nevertheless the Speaker said if that’s the wish of the Senate the House will go along. The Senate approved the bill in second reading yesterday.
Senator Soliai Tuipine again raised the issue about the salary increases for the governor and lt governor. He said notwithstanding the Fono leaders agreeing to remove the salary hikes from the bill to raise the office expense allowance of the Fono, he felt strongly that the Fono should not give in. He stated that the Fono should deal with the salaries of the executive branch leaders and reminded its not for the present governor and lt governor but for the offices they hold.
Soliai said this is the same basis for hiking the expense allowances of the Fono.
Tuaolo interjected and adviced Soliai to wait until the $12 million supplemental bill is submitted then they can review the salaries of the governor and lt govewrnir again. Soliai agreed with the suggestion.
The Senate has now approved the budget bill in final reading without any changes while the House has cleared the bill in second reading.
