A Senate bill to hike the office allowance for members of both Senate and House was introduced yesterday in the Senate, followed by a committee review chaired by Sen. Laolagi F.S. Vaeao, chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.

At the end of the hearing, senators agreed to moving the measure to the floor for a full Senate vote and the bill could be presented today for second reading. The bill would increase office allowances for lawmakers by $10,000 each, annually.

THE LAW

Local statute prohibits the current Legislature from hiking their compensation, but they can do so for the next Legislature. However, the current legislature can raise their office allowance and in accordance with the statue, each member of the Senate and House gets $30,000 annually, while the Senate President and House Speaker each receives $40,000 annually.

This allowance is for the purpose of defraying expenses relating to, or resulting from, the discharge of their official duties; however, an accounting of the expenditures incurred by the member is not required.

Unless the member so elects, the allowance is not taxable and will not be reported as income purposes for taxes.

(Samoa News should point out that some lawmakers have included the allowance as their income and therefore claimed it in their taxes — based on a bill enacted into law several years ago).

COMMITTEE DEBATE

The committee hearing yesterday lasted less than ten minutes before senators all agreed to endorse the measure and present it to the full Senate for a vote.

Laolagi explained that the Fono’s fiscal year 2015 budget has an increase of about $600,000 from FY 2014. Of the $600,000 half of the money is slated for the hike in office allowance and the rest for Fono operations. (Allowance is listed in the budget under materials and supplies).

He also said that this matter has already been discussed with Senate President Gaoteote Tofau Palaie and therefore there is no need to have a separate funding bill for the allowance increases.

Sen. Soliai Tuipine Fuimaono moved to end the debate and for the committee to prepare to approve the measure for submission to the full Senate to pass the measure. He says all senators are fully aware of the importance of this measure.

The statement was echoed by other senators including Sen. Alo Fa’uuga who said that this is an important bill for future generations looking at being lawmakers. Gaoteote agreed, saying, along with other senators, this hike is not only for the current lawmakers but for future generations in American Samoa.