Posted on: Friday, February 14, 2003

Island Voices
State must invest in education

Karen Ginoza is president of the Hawai'i State Teacher Association.

The Advertiser's Hawai'i Poll was right on the money. It spelled out what everyone who cares about public education knows: Now is the time for lawmakers to invest in public education.

Every age group, every walk of life, every political stripe polled said with undeniable consistency that they would pay more in taxes to improve education and stop the physical neglect of classrooms, facilities and campuses.

The mandate, then, is clear: The public wants to invest in Hawai'i's schools.

Well-maintained schools filled with motivated teachers and students provide the skilled, educated workforce that creates a business-friendly environment, one that can weather harsh economic climates.

This is one of the reasons the Hawai'i State Teachers Association is part of a national delegation that is calling for Congress to provide $50 billion in aid to states that are facing budget deficits. Hawai'i would receive an estimated $85 million, money that would ease immediate budget cuts in education and other vital areas.

Worthy as that measure is, it would only work for the short term. Any business leader will tell you that long-term growth requires long-term investment.

That is exactly what we have been advocating. For years, we have gone to the Legislature requesting an increase in funding for schools. Unfortunately, some of Hawai'i's lawmakers responded with more cuts.

Making schools do more with less hasn't worked. It never will.

Do not confuse this with a reckless call to simply throw money at a problem and hope that will cure what ails. Investing is about fiscal responsibility. Accountability and streamlining are the calling cards of an economy powered by public education. In fact, one of our legislative priorities is an audit of the DOE to determine exactly how it spends money and where waste can be trimmed.

But look at the difference between an audit and budget cuts. Reducing excessive costs in public education is a positive result that everyone wants. Reducing the money available for schools and thereby endangering the future economic engine of Hawai'i is a negative result that no one should want.

The only way to avoid this negative result is for lawmakers to accept reality. Increase taxes just a bit and help public education a whole lot.

The public sees the wisdom of this action. Let's hope our lawmakers do, too.