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OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
PRESS RELEASE
(for immediate release – Wednesday, October 01, 2008)
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Lt. Gov. Faoa Aitofele Sunia approves ASG budget, vetoes 10 items
(UTULEI) – Lieutenant Governor Faoa Aitofele Sunia has approved “the appropriation of the American Samoa Government annual budget for Fiscal Year 2009, with specific objections.
In a September 30, 2008 letter to the Fono leadership, Lieutenant Governor Faoa wrote:
“I have today approved H.B. 30-51, an act providing for the appropriation of the American Samoa Government annual budget for Fiscal Year 2009, subject to objections as authorized by Article II, Section 9 of the Revised Constitution of American Samoa. These specific objections are contained in a separate statement of items that is appended to the signed bill which I have attached to this letter for your review.
The proposed budget bill for ASG operations in Fiscal Year 2009, as submitted to the American Samoa Legislature for your review and consideration, was the product of input from budget authorities and overall agency program requirements. All input was weighed and measured and the result was the proposal that was submitted to the Legislature. This being the posture of the proposal, there is an inherent interest in protecting the details and the spirit of the bill as submitted.
While I understand the intent of altering funding amounts for specific line items in our budget, I must remind you that every single branch of the government, every semi-autonomous agency and every Executive department deals, year in and year out, with these very same pressures and budget constraints. These pressures are nothing new to any branch or department in our government. Therefore, as you will note in our budget bill, almost all of the specific line items that were increased as part of the Fono’s adjustments have all been vetoed. These vetoed line items include specific projects for the Capital Improvements Program and funding for the Department of Agriculture, Homeland Security (OTICIDE), Office of Property Management, Department of Local Government, Office of the Public Defender, Election Office, Airport Enterprise Fund and DPS/Emergency Medical Services Enterprise Fund. Wherever specific items, parts and portions were vetoed, all subsequent amounts have been adjusted accordingly.
I thank you for your work on the FY2009 Budget Bill. I appreciate the position of the Fono on the Budget Bill and I am sure that you will appreciate my view on this matter as well. Should you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
FAOA A. SUNIA
Lieutenant Governor”
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LIST OF OBJECTIONS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2008
LIST OF LINE ITEMS OBJECTED TO BY LIEUNTENANT GOVERNOR FAOA A. SUNIA, UPON SIGNING H.B. 30-51, ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2008, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE II, SECTION 9 OF THE REVISED CONSTITUTION OF AMERICAN SAMOA:
Having reviewed H.B. 30-51 as approved by the Legislature of American Samoa, I herewith object to the following items, parts, portion and portions (“parts”) as contained in said bill and append this statement to the bill, upon signing:
- “1. Main Wharf…$437,000” listed in Section 1(b)(5)(A) on Page 2 of the bill.
- “2. Aunu’u Wharf…$250,000” listed in Section 1(b)(5)(A) of the bill on Page 2 of the bill.
- “54,500” for Department of Agriculture listed in the “All Others” column on Page 8 of the bill.
- “10,000” for Homeland Security (OTICIDE) listed in the “Travel” column on Page 8 of the bill.
- “60,000” for the Office of Property Mgmt. listed in the “Equipment” column on Page 8 of the bill.
- “10,000” for the Dept. of Local Government listed in the “Travel” column on Page of 8 the bill.
- “52,500” for the Office of the Public Defender listed in the “All Others” column on Page 8 of the bill.
- “50,000” for the Election Office listed in the “All Others” column on Page 8 of the bill.
- “30,000” for the Airport listed in the “Equipment” column on Page 11 of the bill.
- “127,500” for the DPS – Emergency Medical Svcs. listed in the “Personnel Services” column on Page 11 of the bill.
This list shall be appended to H.B. 30-51, which was passed in the Fourth Regular Session of the Thirtieth Legislature and signed into law on September 30, 2008, in accordance with Article II, Section 9 of the Revised Constitution of American Samoa.
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