Regents' projects on front burner

By Anna Staatz

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

After spending the past several legislative sessions wrestling with K-12 education, this may be the year that allocating money for deferred maintenance projects at state universities makes some progress.

"We've put this off over and over. We need to at least take a step," said Sen. Dwayne Umbarger, R-Thayer.

Umbarger is chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, which will host most of the hearings on bills relating to deferred maintenance at the state's six universities.

The Kansas Board of Regents is asking that the plan address several years of funding.

"I think what the board is looking for at the end of the day is a multiyear plan to address the problem," said Kip Peterson, director of government relations and communications for the regents.

The needs

Money designated for deferred maintenance goes to updating electrical systems, building foundations, sewer lines, floors, roofs, windows, water systems, and heating and cooling systems, along with other maintenance projects.

The state funds six universities: The University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Fort Hays State University, Wichita State University, Emporia State University and Pittsburg State University. Deferred maintenance money also funds needs at state-owned buildings, such as the Landon and Docking state office buildings in Topeka. The original request made by the regents last year was $726.4 million. That amount was pared to $663.6 after athletic and recreation facilities, residences, chapels and memorials were cut out.

In addition to the deferred maintenance needs, about $84 million is needed yearly for other upkeep. The amount the regents is requesting from the state doesn't include needs at community colleges, vocational schools or Topeka's Washburn University.

David Monical, director of university and governmental relations at Washburn, estimated in an interview in February that the school's deferred maintenance needs total about $20 million. Monical said the school has never received state funds to help with maintenance or capital improvement projects.

"We've been fortunate over the years to have dedicated funding we have used to maintain our facilities," Monical said. "And while it is insufficient on an ongoing basis, it has helped us to be a little better off than our sister institutions."

The proposals

More than 10 proposals (and variations of those ) for increased funding to help deferred maintenance needs have floated before the House and Senate committees that control the state's funds. They include increasing the state's retail tax, increasing the base tax statewide, an individual and corporate income tax surcharge, increasing toll rates on the Kansas Turnpike, allowing counties housing a state university to increase tax levies, increasing property tax for vehicles, raising tuition fees, selling bonds, giving tax credits for contributing money to a college's deferred maintenance, placing surcharges on tickets to athletic events and a revolving loan fund to help universities fund projects.

"I don't like all the ideas, but I think it's important to talk about all the options," Umbarger said.

Umbarger said he hoped legislators would be able to take action this session.

"What we don't accomplish this year, we'll have to deal with in the next session or two," he said.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has proposed raising turnpike toll rates to help pay the costs.

Many deferred maintenance proposals haven't been slated for a hearing yet, and a few have yet to make it to written form. Hearings on the proposals will likely be ongoing through the next several weeks, which comprise the last 30 days of the 2007 legislative session.

What the schools say:

"Help. Please help."

Dr. Michael Lane, president of Emporia State University, said the words jokingly but became serious as he talked about the $41 million in deferred maintenance needs the school needs.

"We favor anything that's going to begin to give us the resources to address this situation," Lane said.

Ray Hauke, vice president of administration and financial affairs for ESU, said it was important to stay focused on education.

"The purpose is to educate students in Kansas," Hauke said. "We're in a very competitive market. If students can't find something that meets their needs, there are 49 other states out there."

Peterson said there is still a lot of debate to go, starting Tuesday with a hearing on the governor's turnpike plan before the Senate Ways and Means Committee. The governor's plan is the first of two deferred maintenance bills that will be on the table Tuesday.

"Any plan they come up with is going to have to be several years and have a number of funding components," Peterson said. "That's a huge number."

Anna Staatz can be reached

at (785) 296-0905

or anna.staatz@cjonline.com.

Copyright 2007
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