Fono spending continues to increase

Senate President Lolo Moliga (left) heads the upper chamber of the Fono which has increased their spending by more than $100,000 in the past two months, compared to the same time (June-July) last year.

House Speaker Savali Talavou Ale (right) heads the lower chamber at the local Legislature which increased its spending by more than $30,000 last month compared to July 2006 but decreased its spending by more than $6,000 from June 2006 to June 2007.

The financial overview report for local funds for July 2007 prepared by ASG Treasurer Velega Savali and submitted to Government Togiola Tulafono a few weeks ago reveals that the local Legislature continues to exceed their spending on a monthly basis.

Last month, the Senate itself spent $242,893 compared to the $166,302 they spent in July 2006 and the $167,583 expended in July 2005.

The Senate also exceeded their spending for June 2007 which amounted to $205,504 compared to the $151,965 they spent the same time last year.

In the House of Representatives, spending increased annually from $156,989 in July 2005 to $166,901 in July 2006, and $203,425 last month.

But the lower chamber did well in June, when they cut spending to $182,490 compared to the $188,624 they spent in June 2006 and the $250,289 worth of expenditures reported in June 2005.

The Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) decreased its spending from $77,999 last July to $74,807 last month while the Legislative Finance Office (LFO) did the opposite, increasing its spending from $56,909 in July
2006 to $76,465 last month.

The LRB also decreased its spending in June by nearly $12,000 compared to the same time last year but in the same token, the LFO increased their spending from $47,741 in June 2006 to $72,357 in June 2007.

No money was spent on Fono repairs in June or July 2005, 2006, or 2007.

Computer expenses remained the same at $1,254 in June and July 2006 and 2007, down from the $7,018 spent on computers in June 2005 and $4,500 in July of that same year.

Altogether, Fono expenditures for July 2007 totaled $598,844 which is an increase of $129,479 from what they spent ($469,365) in July 2006.