PSS wants a higher budget for fiscal year 2013

The CNMI Public School System is seeking a higher budget from the local government in fiscal year 2013, which starts on Oct. 1 this year.

From the current allotment of just $30 million, the Board of Education approved Thursday the submission of a $40-million budget proposal to the Executive Branch. The amount is higher than what PSS asked for in fiscal year 2012, $36 million, which was later reduced to $30 million.

According to Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan, $4 million of the proposed $40 million will be used to pay for utilities. Based on PSS’ records, its utility bills amount to $400,000 each month, or over $4 million in a 12-month period.

Saipan Tribune learned that the bulk of the proposed budget will go toward personnel costs at $33.9 million.

Sablan disclosed Thursday that PSS has about 900 personnel that are paid from local appropriation. These include certified and non-certified employees.

The remaining $2.1 million will be used for school operations and other needs.

Board member Herman T. Guerrero described the $40 million proposal as what the PSS really needs to operate and survive next fiscal year. Whether the system will get the amount or not will depend on the “wisdom of the Legislature,” he added.

Since the government projects its revenue to remain stagnant at $102 million next fiscal year, Guerrero hinted that the request may not actually be realized. He stressed, however, that inadequate funding for PSS will force the board to make “painful decisions” in order to continue school operations.

In keeping with her positive outlook, board chair Marylou Ada told colleagues: “We will survive. We just have to live within our means and seek other sources of funding.”

Guerrero pointed out that PSS, contrary to the belief of some legislators, has not overspent in more than 10 years. “I don’t know where they [lawmakers] are getting their information or what kind of figures they’re looking [because] our audits are basically clean in the past years,” he said.

Early this week, Sablan and her leadership and management teams presented to the board different options the board may take if a worst-case scenario happens on the PSS budget. Among these proposals is an across-the-board work-hour cut among PSS personnel.

What conservation?

Board member Tanya King described as “very interesting” her finding that the air-conditioning at the Legislature’s Senate chamber continues to run at full blast, in contrast to the government’s call for conservation and austerity.

“I was wondering, where are the conservation efforts at the highest level?” asked King, adding that she wants to invite lawmakers to PSS to witness what efforts are being done to cut costs, hoping the Legislature will adopt the same measures.

Since last month, PSS has been implementing an across-the-board energy conservation policy that includes limited air-conditioning hours at all levels. The goal is to save up to 45 percent in energy consumption until the end of the fiscal year.

PSS also relocated its central offices and the board last year to an owned property at the Marianas High School, saving the system $250,000 a year on rent and utilities. It also increased class sizes to maximize personnel and school resources.