State's proposed budget gives UA more money, leaves library funds flat

Arizona Daily Wildcat Budget Comparison

The Joint Legislative Budget Committee yesterday recommended $317.6 million for the University of Arizona, which included $1.7 million for the Arizona International Campus. Gov. Jane Hull Tuesday called for $316.9 million for the UA and $822,000 for AIC.

"It's better than the executive recommendation," UA lobbyist Greg Fahey said of the Legislature's proposal, which totaled $6 billion overall. Hull's proposal Tuesday totaled $5.7 billion.

"We're still lower than we need to be, however," he added.

According to the Legislature's proposed budget, staffers knocked off about $500,000 from AIC's $2.2 million budget this year because the school will stop leasing space at the UA Science and Technology Park when it moves to the main campus this summer.

AIC officials had requested the same $2.2 million for 1999.

Overall in the Legislature's proposal, the UA would emerge with a net budget increase of $9.1 million more than 1998 estimates.Both the Legislature's and Hull's designs called for UA libraries' funding to remain flat, causing UA President Peter Likins' concern about escalating scholarly journal costs and other library-related expenses.

"When you have subscriptions over a period of years, you can't just pick it up a year later," he said Tuesday, voicing concerns that a flat budget would force the library to cut subscriptions.

While the governor put forth $5 million for new programs for all three state universities, the Legislature's proposal set that amount at zero.

The UA had requested $12 million just for itself.

Funding for the UA's Arizona Health Sciences Center was set at $59 million by the Legislature. That is less than the $61 million requested but about equal to Hull's proposed $59.3 million.

Fahey, UA's associate vice president for state relations, said the two budget proposals are merely springboards into the spring legislative session.

"They just did a continuation budget," he said of the Legislature's proposal, which keeps most expense estimates flat across the board.

"It's not a very normal year," he added, citing the burgeoning school capital finance crisis and Republican calls for massive tax cuts.

UA Chief Budget Officer Dick Roberts did not return phone calls for comment yesterday.