Committee passes campus bond bill

An amendment to the bill seeks to avoid overlooking community colleges.

By Evan Spaulding

Published April 3, 2009

Missouri's four-year universities and community colleges might be receiving some much needed financial help from a $700 million bond issue that passed unanimously in committee on Tuesday.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Chris Kelly, D-Columbia, will provide higher education institutions statewide with funding for capital projects, such as building funds.

Rep. Steven Tilley, R-Perryville, co-sponsor of the bill and House Majority Floor Leader, said "the stars have aligned" for this legislation.

"These are projects that are much needed at our higher education institutions across the state," Tilley said.

Tilley said the state is nearing completion of payments of outstanding bonds, and would be able to borrow at a 2 percent interest rate.

Tilley said this would likely be the only time the state will be able to borrow at this rate.

The Special Committee on Infrastructure and Transportation unanimously approved the bill Tuesday. It now goes to the House Rules Committee and eventually the floor of the House where it will be open for debate. If the bill passes in the legislature, it will be placed on the 2010 for a vote from Missouri residents.

"I'm glad to see they voted it out," Tilley said about the measure. "I think it's a step in the right direction."

An amendment added to the bill will provide community colleges with no less than 10 percent of the funds.

Rep. Trent Skaggs, D-North Kansas City, the author of this amendment, said the bill originally allotted $58 million for community colleges, but this figure was less than adequate.

Skaggs said community college students account for 30 percent of the higher education student population in Missouri and an appropriation of less than seven percent of the total was unacceptable.

"They're really the gatekeepers as far as I'm concerned for those people who have fallen in the cracks or people who can't afford to go to a four year university," Skaggs said. "We ought to be supporting them, if not more, then at least on equal footing with how we support the four year universities."

Although the bill is expected to pass, Rep. Steve Hobbs, R-Mexico, the chairman of the committee, expects some opposition.

"We heard from one gentleman in committee today who said that there's not a higher education institution in his district, so what's in it for him?" Hobbs said.

Hobbs said the issue comes down to what is best for the state, and the decision is ultimately up to Missourians.

"It's a big step for us to go to the people for money," Hobbs said. "But I think it's a conversation that we need to have, and the people will decide."

Hobbs said the arguments he expects to hear will be similar to those heard in 2007, when the legislature passed a bill that would transfer the sale of assets from the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority for capital projects on colleges and universities across the state. That bill allocated $335 million for use on the projects.

Hobbs said the new bond issue could go to the House floor as soon as the end of next week.