Of the total $104.41 million final budget for fiscal year 2016, more than $65 million will go towards cost for personnel services, which is the highest American Samoa Government expenditure, according to Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga’s budget summary submission to the Fono.

According to the summary, $65.67 million (or 63%) goes to personnel costs; $2.57 million (or 2%) for materials and supplies; $14.11 million (or 14%) for contractual services; $1.27 million (or 1%) for travel; while for the “other” budget category it is $20.50 million or 20%; and $272,500 for equipment — less than 1%.

(The “Others” budget category would be expenses such as utility and communication costs.)

The governor said a total of 6,771 positions or personnel, are budgeted for FY 2016 as opposed to 6,803 in current fiscal year 2015 - and this reflects a decrease of 32 positions, which can be attributed to retirement.

Of the total workforce in FY 2016 - 1,628 are full time contract positions (compared to 1,568 in FY 2015) and 5,143 full time career service (compared to 5,235 in FY 2015), the budget summary states.

(In essence there are 60 new contract full time positions proposed for FY 2016 while there is a decrease of 92 full time career service positions in the new fiscal year.)

The budget summary states that:

•  2,706 employees have their salaries paid by local revenues - 669 contract workers and 2,036 career service employees;

• 2,207 are federally funded - 651 contact workers and 1,556 career service; and

• 1,857 funded through Enterprise Fund - 307 for contact workers and 1,549 for career service. (Enterprise Fund includes semi autonomous agency such as LBJ Medical Center and American Samoa Power Authority).

As in past years, the Fono is expected to raise questions about the high ASG workforce and several lawmakers are also seeking human resources reports to find out the actual number of people employed in government service - especially in the Executive Branch - from the start of FY 2015 up to now.

BUDGET CEILING

Lolo informed the Fono that the FY 2016 budget threshold was set at the approved FY 2015 budget, less 10%, which all entities complied with except for large service agencies of the Executive Branch such as Education Department, Public Works, Port Administration and Department of Public Safety.

Lolo says the budget plan reduction of 10% will move ASG forward with regards to being prudent financial managers, thus gravitating to a government that is financially stable and committed to financial integrity.

Since last week, residents have been asking Samoa News if the Fono has complied with the 10% reduction from the approved FY 2015 budget. According to the budget summary, the Legislative Branch’s final FY 2016 budget totals  $6.91 million (or $6,916,500) compared to $7,685,000 for the current fiscal year— which is a 10% reduction.

BUDGET BOOK DEBATE

The schedule for FY 2016 budget hearings has yet to be set up until the issue of the annual budget being resubmitted in print form (budget books) is resolved.

During yesterday’s Senate session, Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee chairman Sen. Laolagi F.S. Vaeao announced that he received last Friday a response from ASG Budget and Planning Office director Catherine Saelua on the Senate request for the budget to be submitted in print form.

Laolagi said the response was not positive in that the director is maintaining her position that the budget has already been transmitted to the Fono in electronic form (CDs) while the budget summary is in print form.

Laolagi said the matter has since been referred to the Fono leaders to take up directly with the Executive Branch.

Senate President Gaoteote Tofau Palaie told senators that a joint letter from him and from House Speaker Savali Talavou Ale was transmitted to the governor yesterday requesting that the FY 2016 budget be submitted in budget books.