OPTIMISM SURROUNDS VO-TECH FUNDING; GOVERNOR TO SIGN BILLS THURSDAY

Area lawmakers remain optimistic that Gov. Mel Carnahan will approve funding Thursday for construction of two vocational-technical education buildings in Cape Girardeau and one in Sikeston.

The governor is scheduled to sign spending bills totaling about $15 billion.

Carnahan likely will veto some spending provisions in the various bills, said Chris Sifford, the governor's spokesman.

Sifford said Carnahan believes he has the authority to veto wording added by the Legislature's anti-abortion majority that bars abortion providers from receiving family planning funds.

But Sifford said Carnahan hasn't decided yet if he will take such action.

The budget approved by lawmakers includes $2 million for the start of construction of a new technology center at Southeast Missouri State University, $1.5 million toward construction of a new vocational-technical school in the Cape Girardeau School District and $1.5 million for a new Sikeston Area Higher Education Center.

"It is just essential that we have this funding," said state Rep. Mary Kasten, R-Cape Girardeau.

Kasten said she is optimistic that Carnahan will approve funding for the projects because the governor wants vocational-technical education expanded in the state.

The university would receive funding for both the technology center and the Sikeston center, said state Rep. Joe Heckemeyer.

The Sikeston Democrat was a key player in getting the projects included in the budget.

While Carnahan hasn't signed off on the budget bills yet, the university is already moving ahead with plans for the Sikeston center. It has advertised the position of director of the Sikeston center. It would be a grant-funded position.

Funding for the Sikeston center would require a 50-50 match.

Heckemeyer said the land for the center would count for about $1 million of the local share. The community, through the Sikeston Chamber of Commerce and others, expects to raise the other $500,000 needed for the match, he said.

Heckemeyer wants the center to be built on land in a new industrial park. The building would cover about 30,000 square feet and could be added to at a later date, he said.

The center could be in operation within a year, he said.

Initially, it would focus on technical education, including job training for industries.

Heckemeyer expects the Sikeston center eventually to offer a whole range of college classes like those offered at the Bootheel Education Center at Malden by Three Rivers Community College and Southeast.

Sikeston had wanted a junior college but couldn't secure approval from the state.

"I yelled, kicked and screamed to try to get Sikeston a junior college and we couldn't land it," he said. "It doesn't appear they are going to allow any more universities or junior colleges in the state of Missouri," Heckemeyer said.

The Sikeston center could fill the void, he said.

"Fund-raising has been very successful at the Malden center. We hope to have the same success in raising money around here," said Heckemeyer.

The Sikeston and university buildings could be built under a single contract, which could save money, he said.

Heckemeyer said the Sikeston center won't be a fancy structure. "We are not building huge edifices to people's names; we are building something for the people," he said.