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House likely to endorse PSS funding request
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Posted on May 08 2005
Despite some reservations, House members are likely to approve the Public School System’ supplemental budget request for the current fiscal year.
House Education Committee chairman Justo S. Quitugua, said he supports the proposal—House Joint Resolution 14-32—which seeks to reprogram $700,000 to address the reported shortfall of PSS in fiscal year 2005.
“I will be supporting the resolution. I’m pretty sure that members will recognize the need for additional funding for PSS. I’m pretty sure that they would support the resolution,” said Quitugua.
He said, though, that he has yet to meet with House Ways and Means Committee chairman Norman S. Palacios to further discuss the proposal.
House members earlier moved to defer action on the resolution pending analysis from the joint committees.
PSS officials, meantime, wrote to the two chairmen of the committee, explaining the urgency of the situation.
Education commissioner Rita H. Inos and Board of Education chairman Roman C. Benavente said PSS has no more funds to open schools in August.
House Joint Resolution 14-32 seeks to provide $200,000 for payment of 313 PSS teachers’ annual leave; $100,000 for payment of security guards; $100,000 for school bus repairs and maintenance; $50,000 for fuel of buses; $40,000 for trash collection; and $210,000 for minor repair and maintenance in schools prior to the fall opening of schools this year.
They said that PSS has expanded over the last six years yet its funding remains at the same level—$37.2 million a year.
PSS opened five new schools and increased enrolment by 2,000 in the last six years.
Right now, PSS has 11,630 students enrolled in 20 schools
Some House members, during a session last month, noted that aside from local funds, PSS also gets a substantial amount of federal grants, about $25 million every fiscal year.
Further, they cited that PSS stands to get $5.1 million every year for four years beginning this year from Compact Impact Funds as promised by Gov. Juan N. Babauta.
The Compact Impact money can be used for repair and maintenance of schools.
At the same time, the administration seeks to provide PSS its entire budget request of $50 million for FY06.
