Senate debates $350 million bond proposal

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Senate on Tuesday began debate on a bill that would authorize the state to sell $350 million in bonds to fund infrastructure improvements at public higher education institutions, including Southeast Missouri State University.

Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder, the bill's sponsor, said the investment is vital for Missouri to secure a position as hub for life sciences research, which he hopes would lure investors to the state, creating thousands of jobs. Kinder said other states are already moving forward with similar initiatives.

"If we as a state are not willing to take these steps, we are not in the game," said Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau.

However, some senators were concerned about plunging the state further into debt and questioned placing new university facilities ahead of other important needs, such as highway improvements.

"This is one of the biggest money grabs we've seen in a long time," said state Sen. Matt Bartle, R-Lee's Summit.

The revised version of the bill Kinder offered on the Senate floor would make the bond issue contingent on the passage of separate legislation that would drop the regional designation from the name of Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield. The House of Representatives rejected its version of the name-change bill in February, but a similar Senate measure sponsored by Kinder has received preliminary approval.

The projects to be funded with the bond revenue are listed in yet another bill that the Senate will likely take up if Kinder's measure is approved.

Southeast would get $17.5 million to renovate Johnson, Magill and Rhodes halls, which house the school's mathematics, science and agriculture programs. The university would have to privately raise nearly $5.9 million to qualify for the bond revenue.

Although Kinder's bill says the projects must be related to the life sciences, several of the projects in the companion measure bear no such connection. Among them is $8.3 million for a heavy equipment technology and collision repair facility at Linn State Technical College.

"This doesn't have the feel of a life sciences bill," Bartle said. "It has the feel of political compromise."

Kinder said the bulk of the companion bill is still focused on his intended purpose. He avoided trying to rationalize the inclusion of the Linn State project.

"I will not defend that as life sciences," Kinder said.

Kinder's original proposal called for $190.4 million for life sciences facilities at the University of Missouri system's four campuses. A Senate committee increased that amount to pay for projects at 10 other institutions in order to build support for the measure.

State Sen. Jim Mathewson, D-Sedalia, offered an amendment that would add another $22.5 million in bonds for Missouri's community colleges. Even if his amendment is added, Mathewson isn't sure if he supports the bill.

"I don't think it is in the best interests of your children and my grandchildren to try to borrow ourselves into prosperity," Mathewson said.

The Senate set aside the bill with Mathewson's amendment pending. The chamber is expected to return to the measure later in the legislative session.

The bill is SB 1221.

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