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OIT not getting all it wanted from state
June 26, 2007
Oregon Institute of Technology will get $3.5 million less than it sought from this session of the state Legislature to finish construction of the Center for Health Professions. There is hope that more money will be added in February.
The Senate voted Monday to approve a higher education capital funding bill that includes a $5.5 million bond to partially fund the project. OIT officials asked for $9 million. The House is expected to hear the bill today.
State Sen. Doug Whitsett, R-Klamath Falls, said assurances from other legislators in both parties are that the remaining $3.5 million would be a priority for the Legislature during a 2008 special session.
OIT officials have said that a reduction in funds would limit construction, though it is unclear in what way. OIT spokeswoman Valeree Lane said a reduction could lead to a delay, causing expensive problems if construction companies have to leave and then return to the worksite.
See OIT, page A7
“It’s going to cost another $2 million just to get everything back in place,” she said.
Construction for phase one of the project ” an 80,000-square-foot building ” started last year. The bond is intended to match another $12 million raised locally to complete the second phase of the project. Construction on the second phase was scheduled to start in 2008. The new center is expected to add 750 students and 19 faculty members to the campus.
Gov. Ted Kulongoski supported the facility and included its funding in his recommended budget. Co-chairs of the Ways and Means committee, state Sen. Kurt Schrader, D-Canby, and state Rep. Mary Nolan, D-Portland, cut funding for higher education capital projects in their recommended budget. Klamath County legislators have worked since to restore it.
OIT officials heard as early as Thursday that the school may not receive the full amount. Provost and acting OIT President David Woodall said that without the full $9 million, school officials would have to look at what construction could be completed and the building would not be to the planned capacity.
The bond request was first reduced by the co-chairs to $4.5 million. In a conversation Friday between the co-chairs and the chancellor of the Oregon university system, George Pernsteiner, the chancellor reportedly said that another $1 million would allow completion of the center, said state Rep. Bill Garrard, R-Klamath Falls.
That information provides some hope, Lane said. If Pernsteiner is saying $5.5 million will be enough, he may have another plan in mind, so the true impact of the funding shortfall can’t really be assessed at this time.
Whitsett has the same thought. He said he’d read a letter from the co-chairs to the governor indicating that securing the rest of the requested funding for the project would be a priority in February, thus ensuring that construction can at least continue as planned for now. He was also encouraged by the bipartisan effort in the Senate, from Schrader and other senators, to secure the funding.
“It wasn’t one of the Legislature’s finest moments, but we worked through it,” he said.
“It’s going to cost another $2 million just to get everything back in place,” she said.
Construction for phase one of the project ” an 80,000-square-foot building ” started last year. The bond is intended to match another $12 million raised locally to complete the second phase of the project. Construction on the second phase was scheduled to start in 2008. The new center is expected to add 750 students and 19 faculty members to the campus.
Supported by governor
Gov. Ted Kulongoski supported the facility and included its funding in his recommended budget. Co-chairs of the Ways and Means committee, state Sen. Kurt Schrader, D-Canby, and state Rep. Mary Nolan, D-Portland, cut funding for higher education capital projects in their recommended budget. Klamath County legislators have worked since to restore it.
OIT officials heard as early as Thursday that the school may not receive the full amount. Provost and acting OIT President David Woodall said that without the full $9 million, school officials would have to look at what construction could be completed and the building would not be to the planned capacity.
The bond request was first reduced by the co-chairs to $4.5 million. In a conversation Friday between the co-chairs and the chancellor of the Oregon university system, George Pernsteiner, the chancellor reportedly said that another $1 million would allow completion of the center, said state Rep. Bill Garrard, R-Klamath Falls.
Some hope
That information provides some hope, Lane said. If Pernsteiner is saying $5.5 million will be enough, he may have another plan in mind, so the true impact of the funding shortfall can’t really be assessed at this time.
Whitsett has the same thought. He said he’d read a letter from the co-chairs to the governor indicating that securing the rest of the requested funding for the project would be a priority in February, thus ensuring that construction can at least continue as planned for now. He was also encouraged by the bipartisan effort in the Senate, from Schrader and other senators, to secure the funding.
“It wasn’t one of the Legislature’s finest moments, but we worked through it,” he said.
- By Ty Beaver
Oregon Institute of Technology will get $3.5 million less than it sought from this session of the state Legislature to finish construction of the Center for Health Professions. There is hope that more money will be added in February.
The Senate voted Monday to approve a higher education capital funding bill that includes a $5.5 million bond to partially fund the project. OIT officials asked for $9 million. The House is expected to hear the bill today.
State Sen. Doug Whitsett, R-Klamath Falls, said assurances from other legislators in both parties are that the remaining $3.5 million would be a priority for the Legislature during a 2008 special session.
OIT officials have said that a reduction in funds would limit construction, though it is unclear in what way. OIT spokeswoman Valeree Lane said a reduction could lead to a delay, causing expensive problems if construction companies have to leave and then return to the worksite.
See OIT, page A7
“It’s going to cost another $2 million just to get everything back in place,” she said.
Construction for phase one of the project ” an 80,000-square-foot building ” started last year. The bond is intended to match another $12 million raised locally to complete the second phase of the project. Construction on the second phase was scheduled to start in 2008. The new center is expected to add 750 students and 19 faculty members to the campus.
Gov. Ted Kulongoski supported the facility and included its funding in his recommended budget. Co-chairs of the Ways and Means committee, state Sen. Kurt Schrader, D-Canby, and state Rep. Mary Nolan, D-Portland, cut funding for higher education capital projects in their recommended budget. Klamath County legislators have worked since to restore it.
OIT officials heard as early as Thursday that the school may not receive the full amount. Provost and acting OIT President David Woodall said that without the full $9 million, school officials would have to look at what construction could be completed and the building would not be to the planned capacity.
The bond request was first reduced by the co-chairs to $4.5 million. In a conversation Friday between the co-chairs and the chancellor of the Oregon university system, George Pernsteiner, the chancellor reportedly said that another $1 million would allow completion of the center, said state Rep. Bill Garrard, R-Klamath Falls.
That information provides some hope, Lane said. If Pernsteiner is saying $5.5 million will be enough, he may have another plan in mind, so the true impact of the funding shortfall can’t really be assessed at this time.
Whitsett has the same thought. He said he’d read a letter from the co-chairs to the governor indicating that securing the rest of the requested funding for the project would be a priority in February, thus ensuring that construction can at least continue as planned for now. He was also encouraged by the bipartisan effort in the Senate, from Schrader and other senators, to secure the funding.
“It wasn’t one of the Legislature’s finest moments, but we worked through it,” he said.
“It’s going to cost another $2 million just to get everything back in place,” she said.
Construction for phase one of the project ” an 80,000-square-foot building ” started last year. The bond is intended to match another $12 million raised locally to complete the second phase of the project. Construction on the second phase was scheduled to start in 2008. The new center is expected to add 750 students and 19 faculty members to the campus.
Supported by governor
Gov. Ted Kulongoski supported the facility and included its funding in his recommended budget. Co-chairs of the Ways and Means committee, state Sen. Kurt Schrader, D-Canby, and state Rep. Mary Nolan, D-Portland, cut funding for higher education capital projects in their recommended budget. Klamath County legislators have worked since to restore it.
OIT officials heard as early as Thursday that the school may not receive the full amount. Provost and acting OIT President David Woodall said that without the full $9 million, school officials would have to look at what construction could be completed and the building would not be to the planned capacity.
The bond request was first reduced by the co-chairs to $4.5 million. In a conversation Friday between the co-chairs and the chancellor of the Oregon university system, George Pernsteiner, the chancellor reportedly said that another $1 million would allow completion of the center, said state Rep. Bill Garrard, R-Klamath Falls.
Some hope
That information provides some hope, Lane said. If Pernsteiner is saying $5.5 million will be enough, he may have another plan in mind, so the true impact of the funding shortfall can’t really be assessed at this time.
Whitsett has the same thought. He said he’d read a letter from the co-chairs to the governor indicating that securing the rest of the requested funding for the project would be a priority in February, thus ensuring that construction can at least continue as planned for now. He was also encouraged by the bipartisan effort in the Senate, from Schrader and other senators, to secure the funding.
“It wasn’t one of the Legislature’s finest moments, but we worked through it,” he said.
- By Ty Beaver
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