Senate rejects pay raise legislation for public school teachers

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Senate has rejected another Administration bill  — this one, pertaining to the new pay scale for public school teachers, while senators endorsed a measure extending the government land lease agreement for the Boys and Girls Club of American Samoa.

TEACHER PAY SCALE

The Administration bill seeks to repeal current law relating to Teacher Pay Scales, with the governor informing Fono leaders last month that the Administration has adopted a new pay plan for teachers — which went into effect in May this year. “I believe it would be appropriate to repeal this code section [of current law] to prevent any conflict between the statutory language and the pay plan,” he said.

But during the Senate Education Committee hearing last week, senators voiced their disappointment over the lack of information and any provision in the bill that spells out what the amounts are in the new pay scale.

When the bill was presented Monday for second reading during the Senate session, Sen. Fai’ivae Iuli Godinet — who chaired the committee hearing and is vice chair of the committee — moved to reject the bill. He reiterated what he said during last week’s committee hearing that was echoed by other senators, and that is the bill is incomplete — only two pages and without information of the new salary scale.

Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean queried what the effect the Senate action would have on the teacher’s salary reclassification that is already in affect.

Sen. Magalei Logovi’i explained that senators want to reject the bill because it didn’t provide the new salary scale for teachers. And that the bill only seeks to repeal current statute.

However, he said that earlier in the day — during a separate committee hearing — a copy of the new pay scale was received from the Administration. He said the committee would discuss after the FY 2022 Fono Budget hearing, the next course of action.

It should be noted that the House version of the same bill is pending in committee.

ASG LEASE

On Tuesday this week, the Senate in second reading endorsed an Administration proposal amending the government land lease in Tafuna with the Boys and Girls Club by extending the lease to 25-years to Oct. 31, 2036.

Because of the way the law is written, there was some confusion on what voting “yes” or “no” would mean, prompting a brief recess to discuss the issue.

A land lease — including any amendments — is presented to both chambers through a “concurrent resolution” to “disapprove” it. And by disapproving the resolution, the lease or amendment to the lease is therefore approved.

In other words, vote to disapprove the resolution to approve the lease or amendments to the lease.

The original lease, entered into on Jan. 28, 2012 and for under 10 years, provides for an option to extend the lease term for 25-years. And the Boys and Girls Club is taking this option, amending the original lease with a new expiration date of Oct. 31, 2036.

Under local law, all ASG leases of 10-years or more are subject to Fono review and endorsement.