Senate Passes FY 2025 Budget, Restores Vital Programs for Youth and Elderly

The Senate Committee on Budget, Finance, and Appropriations approved the fiscal year 2025 budget on Wednesday, following months of rigorous adjustments necessitated by a more than $60 million shortfall for FY 2024 revealed during final budget wrap-up hearings. The shortfall, a stark reminder of the territory’s ongoing fiscal crunch, prompted the governor’s financial team to propose a more conservative budget for the upcoming fiscal year, officials have said.

“This budget period was an interesting one, particularly with the aggressive revenue projections we received from the executive branch,” said Sen. Donna Frett-Gregory, the committee chair, who has been at the helm of the budget process since June. “Upon closer inspection, these projections did not align with historical trends or our current economic conditions, necessitating extensive refinement.”

One of the key areas of focus for the Senate was restoring funding to critical programs that had been reduced in the governor’s proposed budget. “The proposed budget cut some very important programs vital to our youth and our elderly population,” Frett-Gregory explained. “We felt it was our responsibility to protect these groups, so we restored funding for youth programs like About Face, under the National Guard, and critical services for the elderly, such as Meals on Wheels.”