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House Budget Committee delays action on bills
Monday,
June 29, 2009
Unless Treasury submits first and second quarter reports on revenue collections, the House Budget and Appropriations Committee will not act on four money bills requested by the governor.
Committee members voiced their disappointment that the executive branch is not heeding requests for information which would help them decide bills that the administration requested.
Chairman Vaiausia Yandall said these reports were requested last week but the Treasurer has gone off island without responding to the committee’s request. The Independent Prosecutor Faamomoe Masaniai was also supposed to submit a budget breakdown for his office, but he too has gone off island without submitting that information.
Rep. Maugaoalii Leapai Sipa Anoai said he was saddened with the lack of response and he gets the impression that these officials are not taking the House’s request seriously.
Rep. Taotasi Archie Soliai said the four bills now pending for the Special Session and three other appropriations bills approved last year, would take the total amount to be covered with unbudgeted, unobligated and unexpended funds for Fiscal year 2009 to close to $2 million. He said the Fono needs to look at the revenue collections first to decide whether there’ll be any left over monies.
Vice Speaker Laolagi Savali said the House cannot proceed with the appropriations bills without knowing the government’s financial status.
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