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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, April 17, 2002

EDITORIAL
Time for lawmakers to stand up for schools

State lawmakers are on the cusp of doing something seriously good for our public schools (and our economy) this session. They must not falter.

As reported by Education Writer Jennifer Hiller, the Legislature is poised to authorize nearly $200 million for school repair and maintenance work. But that figure is subject to final budget conference deliberations and the press of other worthy projects.

Legislators must understand that the school-repair program should be first, even among equals, in the competition for construction dollars.

Bringing our aging school infrastructure up to 21st-century standards is more than a desirable goal. It is an absolute must if we ever hope to have an education system that will bring pride and a quality work force to our state.

While there is need for improvements throughout the school system, from curriculum to governance, there is no better place to start than in improving the physical plant. In effect, it is the first crucial step in a "Marshall Plan" for the improvement of our schools.

The money being discussed at the Legislature falls somewhat short of what Gov. Ben Cayetano proposed in his economic rebuilding package. As they deliberate the final budget, lawmakers should look at going beyond what they have already proposed to add additional tens of millions to the crash repair program.

The key is to get ahead of the endless cycle of repair and maintenance where the amounts spent each year (as much as $35 million to as little as $10 million) were hardly enough to keep up with the flood of new repair requests, let alone get into a backlog estimated at $640 million.

We were, quite simply, running in place and our children were slipping behind.

In addition to substantially boosting the amounts available for repairs, maintenance and upgrades, legislators should do what they can through law and persuasion to speed up the process by which the money is spent.

State authorities do respond to such pressure. The Department of Accounting and General Services went on a "hurry-up" basis for some $75 million in repair money authorized during last year's special session and already has some 40 projects in the works. Part of the answer is to let individual school leaders arrange for smaller, individual fix-ups without going through the centralized state process.

If we care about our kids and their schools, we cannot let this opportunity escape.