Vol. 35 No.10
       ©2006 Marianas Variety
Thursday, March 29, 2007 www.mvariety.com
Serving the CNMI for 35 years
 

© 2006 Marianas Variety
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Inefficient public services

I COULD not resist a comment on the cost of education and a proposal to raise property taxes on Guam.
According to edreform.com, the average private school tuition is $4,900. It confirms that the average public school pays about $8,900 per student, so I have no problem with the premise that Guam’s public school’s are woefully underfunded at only $4,500 per student. But why should I have to pay for inefficient public services when the private sector can do the same job for less?
Rather, why not use the charter school model where the same budget is put into much more efficient private hands?
If Guam wants its kids to have an average education as measured by budget expenditures, it seems very achievable with charter schools. As we know, not paying teachers for work performed is criminal. If the government is desperate enough to resort to crime to educate its students, then its leadership should be open to radical measures that are not felonious. Charter schools may be the solution without increasing taxes.

TIMOTHY MB. FARRELL
Orange, Virginia