A Call to Invest in Healthcare, Education, Wellness, Safe Transport, Fair Wages, and Communities Across American Samoa
Honorable Leaders, Policy Makers, Teachers, Healthcare Workers, Elders, and Fellow Citizens,
The proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget for the American Samoa Government stands at $815,392,090 — an 11% increase over the FY2025 budget of $733,683,167. Local revenues are projected at $141,268,000, federal grants at $374,419,569 (a 32% increase from last year), Enterprise Funds at $287,741,500, and Capital Improvement Project funds at $11,963,000. We also see specific projects, such as the $8.2 million tri-level parking structure at LBJ Hospital and the $39 million ARPA-funded renovation of the Executive Office Building.
These numbers are not just figures on a page. They represent decisions. They represent priorities. And they represent opportunities to serve the people who make American Samoa what it is — our children, our teachers, our patients, our elders, and our communities.
Our islands face unique challenges: heavy rains, high humidity, hurricanes, salt air, and king tides. Concrete cracks; steel rusts; roofs leak. Parking decks and office buildings built to mainland standards deteriorate quickly without constant maintenance. But investments in education, healthcare, wellness, and fair wages do not corrode. They multiply. Every new textbook, every hour of teacher training, every safe hospital room, every piece of modern medical equipment, and every fair pay increase yields dividends in the form of stronger families, healthier communities, and a generation prepared to lead.
Our teachers matter. They deserve classrooms with modern tools, updated technology, safe furniture, and clean, well-ventilated learning spaces. Children in Manu‘a should not sit in outdated classrooms with broken equipment while new millions are spent on concrete elsewhere. Teachers teaching in Aunu‘u should not worry about whether they can arrive safely on small alia during rough seas. Across the territory—from village schools to central campuses—every teacher deserves the resources to teach, and every student deserves the chance to learn without fear or shortage.
We must invest in our healthcare. At LBJ, families arrive every day seeking help in moments of vulnerability. Patients need safe hospital rooms, protected spaces, and modern equipment. We should not only build parking garages but also ensure that every patient has a secure room with hurricane-rated windows and doors, backup power, reliable air systems, and proper medical technology. This means directing real funds to new diagnostic machines, emergency care tools, life-saving equipment, and the training to use them well. A hospital must be a sanctuary of healing and safety, not just a building.
Our elders need wellness. They are the keepers of our language, our stories, our faith, and our traditions. Too often, they must wait in overcrowded hospital corridors or travel long distances in unsafe conditions to reach care. They should not be left behind when we plan budgets. They need priority access to safe transportation, secure hospital wards, community centers, and wellness programs that allow them to live with dignity and health. Supporting the wellness of our elders is not charity — it is honoring the foundation on which our society rests.
The people of Aunu‘u need safe boat transportation to and from their island. They should not have to rely on aging or unfit vessels to reach school, work, or medical care. Government-backed, weather-ready boats with proper safety equipment would give peace of mind to families and ensure uninterrupted access to education, health, and economic life. Reliable transport is not a luxury for Aunu‘u — it is a lifeline.
Our workers deserve recognition. Every person hired into government service or community programs should know that their hard work matters. Providing an annual raise on each employee’s work anniversary sends a clear message that loyalty and dedication are valued. It builds morale, reduces turnover, and strengthens the very institutions we are trying to improve.
Our communities matter. Manu‘a needs reliable supply lines, safe transport for teachers and materials, and consistent support for its schools. Families across Tutuila need libraries, youth centers, and vocational training programs that open pathways for future employment and leadership.
I therefore respectfully urge that, alongside parking decks and office renovations, our leaders also commit to:
- Investing in our healthcare system — safe patient rooms, storm-resilient wards, modern diagnostic and treatment equipment, and training for medical staff.
- Upgrading every classroom across Tutuila, Aunu‘u, and Manu‘a with safe furniture, hurricane-rated windows, and modern technology.
- Providing teachers with the tools and professional development they need to teach effectively in the 21st century.
- Ensuring the people of Aunu‘u have safe, government-backed boat transportation to and from their island for daily life, education, and medical care.
- Ensuring fair compensation by implementing annual raises on work anniversaries so that every employee knows their hard work matters.
- Investing in school transportation so no child’s education is interrupted by unsafe seas or unreliable transit.
- Strengthening community infrastructure — libraries, youth centers, vocational training programs — that sustain learning beyond the classroom.
- Ensuring the wellness of our elders by providing safe transportation, accessible health care, and community programs that allow them to age with dignity.
- Maintaining strong supply chains for Manu‘a to ensure access to education, healthcare, and economic life.
This is not a call against infrastructure. It is a call for balanced, long-term investment. Parking and office projects have their place, but they must be matched by equal urgency for classrooms, healthcare, elders’ wellness, safe transportation for Aunu‘u, fair wages for employees, and community safety. In the wisdom of our elders, “E sui faiga ae tumau fa‘avae” — “Methods may change but foundations remain.” Our foundation is not concrete; it is our people — our children, our teachers, our patients, our elders, and our workers.
Leaders, your decisions today will ripple across generations. With $815 million at your disposal for FY2026, including over $374 million in federal grants, this is the moment to prove that government builds not just structures, but futures.
Let us show our teachers they are valued.
Let us show our patients that their safety and care matter.
Let us show our elders that their wellness is protected.
Let us show our people of Aunu‘u that their travel is safe.
Let us show our workers that their dedication is rewarded.
Let us show our children — from Aunu‘u to Manu‘a — that their future is worth every dollar and every effort.
May God bless your service, guide your decisions, and bless American Samoa with leaders who invest wisely in both the visible and invisible foundations of our future.
With respect and encouragement,
Lei Toomalatai
Lauliituai, American Samoa
