Can’t sacrifice students’ future

The statement by the governor’s budget consultant that some 200 teachers’ contracts may not be renewed as a result of revenue contraction is a bit loose, if not, irresponsible. We can’t see the rationale of sacrificing the education of our children as a result of the consistent decline in revenue generation.

The administration needs to bite the bullet in this matter. We’ve heard crystal clear statements that it supports the education of our children. If such is still the case in fact, then it ought to look into other departments and agencies where it could make appropriate cuts to support the financial needs of the Public School System. Such would render its policy on education with appreciable consistency.

In other words, the only three agencies that matters when push comes to shove are health, education and public safety. The rest can be sacrificed to support the role and functions of these agencies. Do we really need that many employees in the Department of Public Works, duplicate roles of Procurement and Medical Supply, Commonwealth Utilities Corporation; Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Community and Cultural Affairs; and other agencies; and the Legislature?

Government reorganization should have occurred a year ago in January and should have been uppermost in the agenda of the Transition Committee. It should have included paring down the bicameral legislature into a unicameral body. Strengthening health, education and public safety should have been the order of business while paring down the balance of the bureaucracy. It is difficult a measure to undertake, but one where we really have ran out of options.

Revenue contraction is a steady phenomenon. We no longer can treat it like the usual picnic as “we know it”. The health of our people is uppermost, including the education of our children and safety of the entire community. Anything else is icing on the cake. We can’t perceive the dire consequence of denying our children their rights to education. It’s mandate by law, therefore, we must grant it generously by making difficult decisions elsewhere.

In baseball parlance, the trip of the presiding officers is similar to pony league players challenging the big boys in the major league. With one out, what the NMI needs is a Cy Young pitcher (Preston Gates) to work out the last two sluggers in the final inning. Unfortunately, the NMI baseball team playing hardball against the Feds in Washington doesn’t even have a pitcher. Definitely, the NMI team will lose. And that’s only a “road game”. The team has been losing consistently at home. Before the end of the season, there’s legitimate fear that the team’s manager and coach will lose their jobs.