Quitugua submits $2.4M Compact funding for PSS

House Education Committee chair Rep. Justo Quitugua has recommended a $2.4 million funding for the Public School System under the Compact Impact funds.

In a letter to Gov. Juan N. Babauta, Quitugua said that “critical funding” is most needed for PSS’ classroom renovation and maintenance.

For Saipan, Quitugua submitted some $1.7 million funding based mainly on the Commissioner of Education’s assessment as of Oct. 7, 2004.

Classroom repairs and maintenance are needed for Koblerville ($61,000), San Antonio ($64,000), William S. Reyes ($12,000), San Vicente ($64,000), Dandan ($81,000), Garapan ($35,000), Kagman Elementary ($35,000), Kagman High School ($100,000), Hopwood Junior High School ($25,000), Marianas High School ($800,000), Gregorio T. Camacho ($300,000), Tanapag ($100,000), and Oleai ($40,000).

MHS’ funding covers technical education program classroom renovation, while GTC includes the renovation of two metal building classrooms amounting to $65,000, hook up of the school toilets to the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. sewer line ($75,000), and construction of a flood control system ($160,000).

Tanapag funding will be used for classroom repairs and maintenance ($30,000), collateral equipment such as student desk and chairs ($20,000), and audio-visual equipment and computers ($50,000).

“The estimate on classroom repairs and maintenance are provided by the PSS based on the commissioner’s letter to me. The estimate for the other activities such as the flood control, sewer hook-up for GTC was a result of my discussion with the principal, [who asked for these] in addition to the classroom repairs and maintenance,” said Quitugua.

He said the commissioner’s submission did not include Rota and Tinian schools’ funding needs.

But a follow up inquiry with PSS showed that Rota would need $30,400 for painting, door replacement, and air-condition repair for the Sinapalo school, while Tinian needs $35,000 for roof repair, partition, and painting for the Tinian Elementary School.

“PSS has so many needs but these are the ones that are critical and need immediate funding from Compact funds,” said Quitugua.

The Executive Branch earlier decided to spread out the $5.2 million expected Compact Impact funds among four agencies: PSS, Department of Public Health, Department of Public Safety, and Northern Marianas College.

The Babauta administration had initially planned to use the federal money as leverage to pay off the government’s debts but this was not approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Earlier, the PSS had submitted an estimate showing that it would actually require more than the federal allocation of $5.2 million.

Likewise, the House of Representative had adopted a joint resolution asking the governor to allocate the entire funds to PSS. It cited PSS has 516 students from the freely associated states, posting an annual impact cost of $5.615 million for operational costs, busing, and classrooms.

The CNMI expects to get a little over $5 million in Compact money this year and every year for the next 20 years.

The Compact legislation provides for a $30 million funding that will be divided each year (for the next 20 years) among the Northern Marianas, Guam, Hawaii and American Samoa to help these jurisdictions deal with the effects of migration from the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands, commonly known as the freely associated states.