BUDGET PLAN PLEASES LOCALS

Gov. Mel Carnahan wants lawmakers to appropriate $7.2 million to construct a polytechnic building and a vocational-technical school in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missouri State University's polytechnic building and the Cape Girardeau School District's vo-tech school are two of the capital projects included in the governor's proposed budget.

The governor unveiled his budget Wednesday in his annual State of the State speech to the Legislature.

Carnahan's fiscal 1999 budget includes nearly $5.6 million for Southeast's polytechnic building and $1.65 million in added funding for construction of a new vocational-technical school.

The school district received $1.5 million last year for the project, with the expectation that additional funding would follow in fiscal 1999.

Southeast's president, Dr. Dale Nitzschke, was at the state capitol Wednesday when the governor unveiled the budget recommendations.

"We really are very pleased," Nitzschke said. "I think we have ample testimony here once again that the governor is true to his word when he said some time ago that education is his number one priority."

Said Nitzschke, "He has delivered once again."

Carnahan has recommended increasing the budget for higher education by $98.8 million, a 10.8 percent increase over the current year.

The increase would bring the total state budget for higher education to $1 billion, said Chris Sifford, the governor's spokesman.

The governor wants to spend $129.5 million for construction and renovation of buildings on the state's college campuses.

Counting funding for elementary and secondary education, Carnahan proposed spending $2.56 billion on education in the coming fiscal year.

The governor recommended $45.36 million in general operations funding for Southeast, up nearly $3.5 million or 8.3 percent over the current fiscal year.

Southeast's polytechnic building would house the school's industrial technology program. It would focus on high-tech manufacturing and offer customized training programs for employers.

Don Dickerson, president of the Board of Regents, said the project would benefit the entire region.

The goal is to offer customized training not only in the polytechnic building, but also in the outlying education centers in Sikeston, Malden and Perryville.

Some of the industrial equipment could be moved from center to center to meet the job training needs of a local industry, Dickerson said.

The university plans to build the polytechnic building on the Southeast campus. No site has been chosen, but it likely will be on the north end of the campus, Dickerson and Nitzschke said.

Dickerson estimated it could cost about $8 million to construct and equip the building.

Southeast had sought $6.9 million in state funding. The governor's recommendation is less than that, but Nitzschke said private and possibly federal funding could make up the difference and provide the money needed to install high-tech industrial equipment.

Nitzschke said a donor already has pledged $1 million toward construction of the building.

More private funding could come through a capital campaign, he said.

Nitzschke said the school also might obtain a couple million dollars in federal funding to equip the building. He has lobbied Missouri's congressional delegation for the money.

Nitzschke and Dickerson said the chances of securing state funding are enhanced because the project is in the governor's budget.

The university failed to secure funding for the project last year when it wasn't in the governor's budget.

Nitzschke praised Dickerson, and the leadership of Rep. Joe Heckemeyer, D-Sikeston, and Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, in pushing for funding for the project.

But he cautioned that the budget proposal still has to make its way through the Legislature. "We are not counting our eggs until they are hatched," he said.

Kinder and other local lawmakers said they are delighted Carnahan included the two capital projects in the budget.

"Now our job is to keep those in the bills as they pass through the appropriations process," Kinder said.

Rep. Mary Kasten, R-Cape Girardeau, predicted that the polytechnic building and the vo-tech school would be in the final budget because of the governor's backing.

"When it is in his budget in the first place, it is almost a sure thing that it will be funded," she said.

Heckemeyer said the polytechnic building would bring vocational education and job training to the entire region, which could aid in attracting industry.

Dr. Dan Tallent, superintendent of the Cape Girardeau public schools, welcomed the governor's recommendation for additional funding for the vo-tech school.

The vo-tech school is expected to cost $6.2 million. Voters recently approved a bond issue that will fund half of that cost. State funding is expected to pay for the other half.

Construction of the vo-tech school is slated to begin this spring, Tallent said.