Published: Thursday, March 29, 2007
Senate budgets $4M for college
Senate Democrats propose setting aside the money to help bring a new school to the region.
OLYMPIA - Senate Democrats want to invest $4 million in the effort to start a new college to serve Snohomish, Island and Skagit counties.
The funds are included in the Senate's proposed $4.2 billion capital budget proposal issued Wednesday. The money would help decide what kind of higher education institution is needed and launch the process of getting it built.
"I thought, 'All right we're moving,' " said state Sen. Jean Berkey, D-Everett, who learned of the sum shortly before the spending plan became public at noon.
She and fellow Democratic senators Paull Shin of Edmonds, Steve Hobbs of Lake Stevens and Mary Margaret Haugen of Camano Island jointly requested the money.
"It shows that when we talked to our leadership, they understood our need," she said.
The Senate's proposed budget provides $1.5 million to the Office of Financial Management to suggest whether a new college should be run as a branch campus of the University of Washington or as an independent four-year university or should follow some other model.
The state agency also would offer recommendations on academic programs and the best location for the campus. This work would be done by Dec. 1.
The remaining $2.5 million is for buying land or securing options on property. If land is obtained for little or no cost, what dollars remain would be poured into designing buildings, according to the budget.
Gov. Chris Gregoire and the House of Representatives each included money in their respective capital budget proposals for doing the plan - $2 million in the governor's and $1.5 million for the House's.
Neither the governor nor the House suggests allocating funds for buying land.
"We're really happy with the money," Hobbs said Wednesday afternoon. "We are 90 percent of the way there."
The other 10 percent, he said, is in how the planning will proceed.
He and the other three senators back an independent, unaffiliated polytechnic university. They may try to amend the legislation to ensure that is the focus of the planning work.
"We'd like a bit stronger direction in the language to head it toward the four-year approach," Hobbs said.
Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, a former state legislator and advocate of an independent four-year university, knows the process is far from over.
"The senators set the bar high and represented Snohomish County well," he said. "Conversations will now ensue and there may be some movement in the language on what kind of college and a timeline."
Snohomish County representatives who are pushing for a branch campus of the University of Washington similar to the one in Bothell praised the money offered up in the Senate bill.
Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, said the sum is "great and it will sit there until we figure out who (will run it) and then we can figure out the where and the what."
Rep. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, viewed it similarly.
"This is great stuff," Lovick said. "There's a lot left to be negotiated."
The full Senate is tentatively scheduled to vote on the bill Saturday.
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360 352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
The funds are included in the Senate's proposed $4.2 billion capital budget proposal issued Wednesday. The money would help decide what kind of higher education institution is needed and launch the process of getting it built.
"I thought, 'All right we're moving,' " said state Sen. Jean Berkey, D-Everett, who learned of the sum shortly before the spending plan became public at noon.
She and fellow Democratic senators Paull Shin of Edmonds, Steve Hobbs of Lake Stevens and Mary Margaret Haugen of Camano Island jointly requested the money.
"It shows that when we talked to our leadership, they understood our need," she said.
The Senate's proposed budget provides $1.5 million to the Office of Financial Management to suggest whether a new college should be run as a branch campus of the University of Washington or as an independent four-year university or should follow some other model.
The state agency also would offer recommendations on academic programs and the best location for the campus. This work would be done by Dec. 1.
The remaining $2.5 million is for buying land or securing options on property. If land is obtained for little or no cost, what dollars remain would be poured into designing buildings, according to the budget.
Gov. Chris Gregoire and the House of Representatives each included money in their respective capital budget proposals for doing the plan - $2 million in the governor's and $1.5 million for the House's.
Neither the governor nor the House suggests allocating funds for buying land.
"We're really happy with the money," Hobbs said Wednesday afternoon. "We are 90 percent of the way there."
The other 10 percent, he said, is in how the planning will proceed.
He and the other three senators back an independent, unaffiliated polytechnic university. They may try to amend the legislation to ensure that is the focus of the planning work.
"We'd like a bit stronger direction in the language to head it toward the four-year approach," Hobbs said.
Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, a former state legislator and advocate of an independent four-year university, knows the process is far from over.
"The senators set the bar high and represented Snohomish County well," he said. "Conversations will now ensue and there may be some movement in the language on what kind of college and a timeline."
Snohomish County representatives who are pushing for a branch campus of the University of Washington similar to the one in Bothell praised the money offered up in the Senate bill.
Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, said the sum is "great and it will sit there until we figure out who (will run it) and then we can figure out the where and the what."
Rep. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, viewed it similarly.
"This is great stuff," Lovick said. "There's a lot left to be negotiated."
The full Senate is tentatively scheduled to vote on the bill Saturday.
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360 352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
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