PSS to get $1.5M more in FY05

The Senate Committee on Fiscal Affairs has decided to put the $1.5 million additional projected revenues into the Public School System’s budget for fiscal year 2005, raising its budget to $38.7 million.

“We added the additional budget to PSS. The administration estimated there would be $1.5 million from labor registration fees but it could be more than that. Our position it to [give] the entire amount to PSS,” said committee chair Joseph Mendiola in an interview yesterday.

The Senate earlier put the PSS budget at its fiscal year 2003 level of $37.2 million. The Governor’s Office had proposed $42 million for PSS.

The Senate has yet to meet with the House of Representatives to discuss the 2005 budget.

The House earlier passed a $212.7 million budget but the Senate amended it and raised it to $217.7 million after the Babauta administration identified $5.1 million in additional revenues for 2005.

The administration said the new money would come from the implementation of two newly enacted laws: tax amnesty and tax enhancement laws.

Over a week ago, the administration submitted another additional projection of $1.5 million, to come from the increased annual registration fee of nonresident workers. The Department of Labor adopted a new schedule of fees, including a $50 increase in the annual nonresident worker’s fee, effective July this year.

“Sufficient collection experience now exists that the Secretary of Finance can make an estimate the full-year revenue effect,” said Gov. Juan N. Babauta in an Oct. 20 letter to the Legislature. “I hope this information will aid the Legislature in completing the FY05 budget.”

Senate President Joaquin G. Adriano, meantime, appointed the following members to the conference committee that would deliberate on the budget: Mendiola as chair and Henry H. San Nicolas, Luis P. Crisostimo, Thomas P. Villagomez, Diego M. Songao, and Paul A. Manglona as members.

The House of Representatives, which earlier voted to reject the Senate-amended budget, earlier formed its own panel for the conference committee.

House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial appointed Vice Speaker Timothy Villagomez as chair and the following as members: House Ways and Means committee chair Norman S. Palacios; Education Committee chair Justo S. Quitugua; Health and Welfare Committee chair Crispin Ogo; and two minority bloc members, Jesus Attao and Arnold I. Palacios.