$23 million for combined-use building in Medford in governor’s budget request

Gov. Ted Kulongoski recommended a spare $11.9 billion state general fund budget Wednesday that manages to set aside $23 million to Southern Oregon University and Rogue Community College for a joint downtown Medford classroom building.

"We’re so excited about this that I can hardly speak," said SOU President Elisabeth Zinser.

Anna Richter Taylor, a spokesperson for the governor, said, "This is the first investment in facility structures for community colleges in 20 years."

The money, which is separate from the $24 million bond measure approved by voters for RCC in November, will help pay for construction of a new building somewhere in downtown Medford that will be used by RCC and SOU.

The governor’s biennial budget, about $300 million more than the current budget, earmarks $5 billion for K-12 education, $400 million less than the amount schools say is necessary to preserve current services.

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"We all know that the revenue available for the 2005-07 biennium is not enough to continue all government services at the level at which they are funded today," Kulongoski said during a press conference.

However, the governor proposes establishing rainy-day and investment funds that would provide long-term financial support for education.

Sen. Alan Bates said he was concerned about the K-12 budget being too low.

"That’s not going to work," said the Ashland Democrat. "It’s a square peg in a round hole."

Kulongoski also wants to boost funding for the Oregon State Police by instructing the Lottery Commission to expand games.

"This was one of the most difficult policy decisions in the budget," he said. "Although I have not been a proponent of the state expanding into line games, I believe the impact it will have on public safety outweighs my concern. "

Kulongoski said his budget proposal is based on six principles that make it clear what state government should support. These include education, helping Oregon’s vulnerable population, promoting a strong business climate, public safety, balancing growth and environmental protection, and ensuring a responsive and accountable state government.

"This budget continues the commitment I made when I took office to ensure that government lives within its means," he said.

Medford schools Superintendent Kathy McCollum said the proposed K-12 budget wasn’t a surprise.

"It will mean more hits for this district, but not as severe as last year," she said.

The largest school district in Jackson County will continue to limp by, she said, hampered by insufficient instructional materials, outdated textbooks and aging facilities.

While the higher education budget of $698 million won’t be enough for current service levels, the governor does propose doubling the amount of grant money for student aid to $92 million.

Zinser said the governor also proposed boosting funds to help universities with their aging facilities.

Rep. Dennis Richardson said the money to help SOU and RCC looked encouraging, as did a cursory review of the entire budget.

The Central Point Republican was pleased the governor established a set of principles on which to write the budget.

"Core principles are something the Republican caucus has supported," he said.

However, he said it will take Republican Party leaders, who didn’t know about Kulongoski’s plan until today, until mid-December to wade through the budget before they can pass judgment on it.

"Our position is that what he said today needs to be verified," he said. "We have to go through the numbers and make sure they’re accurate."

Bates, like Richardson, said the governor didn’t confer with legislators before releasing the budget.

"There was not a single word to me about anything in this budget," he said.

While Bates said the governor’s proposal was a good start, he added, "This is not a consensus budget. This is the governor’s budget."

‘The governor’s budget’