16 Oct 2017

$US11 million supplemental budget for American Samoa

10:55 am on 16 October 2017

The Fono's official approval of the supplemental budget was made yesterday by the Senate after it adopted amendments by the House that reduces the supplemental budget bill from $11.34 million down to $11.01 million.

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Photo: RNZI / Monica Miller

Lawmakers' reduction of just over $330,000 was made to the funding allocation for the Department of Treasury.

Another amendment deletes the proposed sales tax as one of the five revenue measures proposed by the Administration to fund the supplemental.

Both the Senate and House have opted not to move forward the seven percent sales tax, which the administration was looking to collect about $Us24 million annually from.

The government was estimated to collect at least $US14 million annually in new money under the four revenue measures passed by the Fono.

Last week the governor signed into law the Basic Budget of just over $394 million for new fiscal year 2018, which began on October 1st this year.