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PSS ramps up lobbying efforts for budget
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Posted on Sep 08 2005
Underscoring the seven years that the Public School System has not had a budget increase, Education Commissioner Dr. Rita Hocog Inos expressed hope yesterday that the House of Representatives would act favorably and pass the bill that would allocate $50 million to public schools in Fiscal Year 2006.
She also extended her gratitude to the Senate for passing two bills that directly benefit the CNMI’s 20 public schools.
The upper chamber recently passed House Bill 14-370, or the PSS Textbook Relief Act, which provides funding for textbook purchases by restoring both the 1 percent deducted for the public auditor and the 2 percent for deficit reduction and then earmarking these funds for the purchase of textbooks. It also passed HB 14-369, which exempts the PSS from any increase in the employer contribution to the Retirement Fund for the next five years.
Inos explained in a statement that exempting the PSS from the additional 12 percent increase “makes sense” because PSS is current in all its payments, in stark contrast to the CNMI government, which owes over $80 million that was appropriated by law but never remitted to the Retirement Fund.
She said she is hopeful that the House will pass on second and final reading H.B. 14-371, which appropriates $50 million to PSS for FY 2006. Besides the stagnant level of the PSS’ budget in the last seven years, Inos pointed out that the current PSS budget is $5 million lower than it was in 1997 and 1998. Despite this, PSS has opened six new schools and added over 2,500 more students since 1997 and now has a student enrollment of over 12,000 students.
“Passing HB 14-371 is critically important to the PSS,” she said, adding her thanks to both the House and the Senate for their continuing support for PSS.
Earlier this summer, the House and Senate unanimously approved the reprogramming of $1.1 million dollars from the deficit reduction account to the PSS. (PR)
