Friday, October 30, 1998
Regent’s budget banks on passage of Prop. 1A
FUNDS: Money from bond measure needed for capital programs
By Edina Lekovic
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
The University of California’s capital outlay budget is riding
on whims of California voters, according to the UC Board of
Regents.
When the regents discussed their 1998-99 budget two weeks ago,
most of it was contingent on the passage of Proposition 1A.
The largest bond measure in the country, according to Larry
Hershman, UC vice president of budgets, the $9.2 billion voter
initiative includes $6.7 billion for
K-12 schools and $2.5 billion for higher education over a
four-year period.
The board is depending on California citizens to pass the bond
measure so that it can begin badly needed seismic renovations and
new buildings to counter overpopulation on its nine campuses.
While opponents contend that Proposition 1A is too large and
will require too much money from the state’s general fund, UC
President Richard Atkinson characterizes the initiative as
California’s responsibility to the future.
"The University of California makes an important contribution to
the state’s economic vitality through its research initiatives and
its education programs for an increasingly knowledge-based work
force," UC President Richard Atkinson said.
"To support this public service, I believe we must upgrade and
expand our facilities as enrollments grow and as technologies and
academic programs evolve."
Proposition 1A would fund facilities projects at all UC
campuses, including seismic corrections, building renovations and
infrastructure modernization.
The regents are pushing the initiative, arguing expansion and
repair are critical in order to accommodate the additional 45,000
students expected to enroll at the UC by 2010.
"The Board of Regents strongly supports Prop. 1A," said board
chairman John Davies.
"We believe that providing safe and modern facilities is crucial
to maintaining the University of California’s high-quality academic
programs and to providing the next generation of Californians with
access to a UC education," he continued.
Legally, the regents can not campaign for the bond measure.
According to UC Vice President of Legal Affairs James Holst, the
board’s activities are limited to a strictly educational campaign
rather than a political one.
As a result, regents and UC officials must legally present both
sides of the argument, and avoid telling people how to vote. They
can distribute information, but are not allowed to act as advocates
for the initiative, according to Holst.
In addition, the regents cannot donate money to Californians for
Higher Education, an organization campaigning for the initiative –
only campus foundations are allowed to do that.
"I think the key ingredient is that we make the public aware of
what we can accomplish," said Regent Russell Gould.
Atkinson said that every UC chancellor would be writing opinion
articles and meeting with newspaper editorial boards.
Atkinson has repeatedly emphasized that while upcoming UC
facility projects are contingent upon Proposition 1A, the measure
will only fund about half of the university’s annual capital outlay
needs.
"Bond measure 1A isn’t going to be enough money to solve all the
seismic problems at UCLA and Berkeley, but it should fund the other
campuses," Hershman said.
With enrollment growing most rapidly at the San Diego, Santa
Cruz, Irvine and Riverside campuses, the regents said that only the
worst problems will be taken care of.
"That isn’t going to be enough to get Merced going," Hershman
said of the $55 million budgeted for the UC’s 10th campus. "That
could be enough for just infrastructure (but not the
facilities)."
Bond measures do not affect property taxes, but instead enable
the state to borrow money and pay it back from the state’s general
fund.
"If Prop. 1A doesn’t pass, it would be a catastrophe," Atkinson
said.
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