Initiative clears House • Legislative initiative hopes to increase appropriation for public education by 25 percent to $56-M

The proposed legislative initiative mandating a minimum 25 percent share of the budget for public education hurdled its first step yesterday after the House of Representative approved the proposal with major changes.

Education officials, however, lost their battle to keep surplus budget left in a fiscal year into the next as one amendment requires that the excess money be returned to the general fund for re-appropriation by the Legislature.

Such fiscal authority was one of the provisions they fought to be inserted in House Legislative Initiative 12-1 when the measure was being reviewed by the Committee on Education.

The Board of Education even passed a resolution to state that policy in the initiative, noting the Public School System would need all the funding earmarked by the government, including any balance left at the end of a fiscal year.

Other amendments to HLI 12-1 included full allotment and disbursement of the PSS’ budget every quarter as well as restrictions in reprogramming the funds solely for other education-related purposes that can be done only by BOE’s approval.

These changes were results of compromise on the initiative after House members expressed fear that the 25 percent requirement could deprive other government agencies of badly-needed funds.

With its passage in the lower house, the proposal now will have to win two-thirds vote of the Senate before voters can decide in a referendum during next year’s general elections.

Offered by Rep. Thomas B. Pangelinan, the initiative aims to amend Article 15 of the CNMI Constitution to increase annual appropriation of PSS from a minimum 15 percent of the total local revenues to at least 25 percent.

It is intended to provide enough funding for both public elementary and secondary schools in light of constant shortfall in the present appropriation from what they actually need.

Biggest pie

PSS’ budget has the biggest slice of the dwindling cash resources of the government at about 18 percent, followed closely by other priority agencies such as the Department of Public Health and the Department of Public Safety.

Under FY 2001 budget proposal by the governor, PSS stands to get $40 million, but that amount does not include federal funds of over $15 million which are given to schools every year.

The initiative, if approved by voters in November 2001, will raise the local appropriation to $56 million based on the $223 million projected revenues for FY 2001, according to the Education committee.

The panel chaired by Rep. Brigida Ichihara, a former educator herself, had endorsed the proposal, but House members were initially reluctant to back the measure due to its potential impact on the fiscal budget.

PSS and BOE have thrown their support behind the initiative, citing the ever growing needs of public schools such as improvement of facilities, transportation and instructional materials as well as reduction of student to teacher ratios.

In her testimony to the House committee, Commissioner of Education Rita H. Inos challenged lawmakers to approve the proposal which she said is an investment for the future of the islands.

The initiative is “not just about funding issues in the Commonwealth [but]… about our CNMI people letting us know once again the value of education and the role that education plays,” she said.

In its report, the committee stressed that funding for education should be a fundamental financial policy. “[T]his type of investment would go a long way in preparing the people of the CNMI meet the new economic challenges as prescribed in this new world economy,” it said.