More than 20 fifth and sixth graders submitted their letters to GES principal Yvonne R. Pangelinan, and are hoping that their request will reach the governor’s desk before he signs Senate Bill 17-68 which lawmakers passed despite strong opposition from education officials, principals, teachers, parents and other members of the community.
The bill will suspend the education tax credit program until the government’s 80- hour work period is restored.
Fitial thinks the measure is “a good idea.”
The ETC program allows those who make donations to schools to deduct these amounts from the taxes they have to pay the government.
“That is a shame!” writes Carmen Kaipat, a sixth grader, referring to S.B. 17-68.
“How can these government people take away that money from our schools?” Kaipat asked. Students who go to public schools, she said, don’t even have money to buy food.
Kaipat said her father is a taxi driver and does not earn enough for their family. She said she herself has to figure out where to get the money to buy her school supplies.
“I am getting scared of this new bill specially that I am moving to a huge school next year. I heard it costs more there. Please, your honor, do not approve this bill,” she said in her letter to Fitial.
Precious Pascual, another sixth grader, said: “Some kids don’t even have money to buy new clothes. How do you expect them to buy school supplies which our school can provide with the help of the money from the education tax credit?”
Douglas Ngirairas, also in sixth grade, said: “If we don’t have supplies for our project, we might get an ‘F’ all the time and get retained.”
Sixth grader Marvin Lopez said the bill “will put a big burden on our parents and our teachers because our teachers and parents also need to pay other taxes and they don’t have enough money.”
Savanah Santos, a sixth grader, told the governor: “If you want to push through it please do it only to private schools but not to public schools.”
Jamie Lee said signing the bill “would be like closing down our schools, too.”
Francisco Ada said sometimes his parents can’t afford to buy him supplies. “My teacher provides supplies for us. Imagine how much money she spends buying construction paper, glue and other supplies. Imagine how much of an impact it will bring to all the students on Saipan,” he said.
Myron Jordan Andy tells the governor, “I beg you to help us. I want you to be in a good mood. I know you are trying to please all the citizens in the CNMI but could pleasing less fortunate like us be a burden to you?”
Amando Somol said “if you will sign this bill our chance to learn will be taken away.”
Caitlin Villasin said she has two sisters and two brothers. “Sometimes we miss dinner because we are saving our money for our school supplies,” she said.
Joanna Garcia urged the governor to “think about the families who are relying on food stamps and welfare. If they don’t have money to buy food what more if school supplies?”
Fifth graders Yumiko, Alexie and Jeszerra told Fitial to “please bring back the educational tax credit because we are not going to have enough money to buy school supplies.”
Pangelinan, in an interview, said she would like the governor to know that the funds donated to GES are a message of support from businesses because they know the school’s financial challenges.
She said GES receives an average of $5,000 in ETC donations a year.
House Minority Leader Diego T. Benavente, R-Saipan, said parents, students, school administrators, principals, teachers and other members of community should ask the governor to veto S.B. 17-68.
“I’m asking the public —please write a letter to the governor asking him to reconsider or veto the bill,” he said.
The governor, he added, did not hear the testimonies during the recent House session so there is still an opportunity to change Fitial’s mind.
