PHOENIX - As the Arizona Legislature continues to work on the fiscal year 2006 budget, their persistence in not funding the medical school expansion has made the future of the addition uncertain.

The dedication of the site in Phoenix, where the UA Medical School is planned to expand, was canceled last week because of the uncertainty of funding, President Peter Likins said Wednesday.

Though fiscal year 2006 does not start for a few months, beginning July 1 to June 30, 2006, the Legislature and governor still need to decide on a budget. The process is stalling and leaving those with specific hopes of funding with nothing to do but wait.

Likins said a total of $7 million is needed to fund the expansion of the medical school to Phoenix. The expansion would require $6 million for the UA to renovate Phoenix Union High School buildings, pay faculty and open the medical school.

The school would encompass a first-year class of 24 students in the fall 2006 semester as well as the 100 students who are working on their residencies in Phoenix-area hospitals, Likins said.

The other $1 million would come from Arizona State University's budget and would fund the bioinformatics part of the medical school.

The rationale

The UA, ASU and the Arizona Board of Regents have agreed to collaborate to create an extension of the UA medical school in Phoenix because of the population of the city and the need to train more doctors in the state.

Gov. Janet Napolitano has also agreed.

Napolitano said in her January State of the State address she wanted to fund the expansion, and she refused to sign the first budget the Legislature sent to her, citing the non-funding of the medical school as one of her reasons.

"If we do (fund) this, we will improve the quality of life for all Arizonans, and leave a legacy for generations to come," Napolitano said in January.

The Legislature and the governor must agree on the state budget before it is passed, but Republican legislators have consistently said they would not fund the medical school because they have not seen a plan for the school.

"The problem is there's no plan of action," said Sen. Bob Burns, R-Peoria. "Why would we put aside even 10 cents? What are they going to do with this?"

A recent U.S. Census Bureau report said the population in Arizona is expected to double by 2030, and expanding the medical school to a second campus would produce more doctors in the state.

"That's why you need to invest in education and that's why you need another medical school," Napolitano said last week.

An agreement signed by ASU, the UA and the regents explains this need.

"Two synergistically related campuses, involving faculty from both the U of A and ASU, is the best strategic choice to advance Arizona's healthcare needs and its expansion of bio-medical education, research and technology," the agreement stated, which is a memorandum of understanding.

Paperwork

Likins said the plan for the medical school is scheduled for release this summer, and the $7 million funding request is not a long-term commitment.

With the two-tiered system, the first level is the first two years of medical school study on a campus. The second two years of a medical student's education are spent in residency or working in hospitals.

The $7 million request will fund the level-one development to begin studies in Phoenix, Likins said.

A document explaining the future of the funding shows the UA level-one funding could be $20 million by 2011. During that time, the funds would support 24 new students each fall, plus all of the students in their clinical rotations and residencies.

The goal, according to the document, is nearly 200 students enrolled at the Phoenix campus by 2011. The campus in Tucson supports 110 students in each class.

The politics

Greg Fahey, UA lobbyist, said he doesn't understand why the medical school has turned into a partisan issue.

"It's hard for me to see why the College of Medicine expansion in Phoenix is a Republican-Democrat issue," Fahey said.

He said while legislators try to come to an agreement on the budget, all he can do is keep reiterating the need for the campus.

Rumors have surfaced at the College of Medicine on the UA main campus about conflicts between ASU and the UA on how the school would operate and what its focus would be.

Fahey said no such conflict exists, and legislators should take advantage of the collaboration between ASU, the UA, the board of regents and the business community. Fahey said chances for all of these parties to work together do not happen often.

Sen. Robert Cannell, D-Yuma, said he thought the UA Medical School could have done a better job lobbying the Legislature for the funds, but said he did not understand those who said they didn't know enough about it to fund it.

"There's been tons of information about it," said Cannell, who is also a doctor.

At the regents meeting on Thursday, Regent President Gary Stuart said there are myths in the legislature, such as the medical school will only produce researchers and not practicing physicians.

In reality, there is a desperate need for doctors in Arizona, with 350 physicians retiring per year and a greater percent not taking new patients, said Regent Robert Bulla.

"We've got a huge crisis in this state. It's not going to take too many more years before it's too late," Bulla said. "Something's got to be done to get the point across."

An alternative

A different plan was introduced in a Senate Appropriations budget meeting Wednesday. An amendment to the higher education budget would set aside $5 million in a health profession education fund.

The fund would address "medical education needs" in Maricopa County, but would be contingent on a study committee to review the needs of medical education, funding for medical education, and private and public education programs.

If the amendment is added to the bill, the study committee would have to submit a report to the governor and Legislature by Dec. 31 addressing if and how the money should be used.

Legislators did not vote Wednesday on whether or not to add the bill to the higher education budget.

Fahey said if the money does not come now, it will be more expensive and may not be as easy to expand the medical school in the future.

"If the money doesn't come this year it will set us back," Fahey said.

Likins said he expects the money will be allocated in the end.

"I think that finally, when the dust settles, good sense will prevail and we'll end up with the funding," he said Wednesday.

- Natasha Bhuyan contributed to this report.