SE MISSOURI GETS BOOST IN STATE SPENDING

On Thursday, Gov. Mel Carnahan signed into law the bills the General Assembly passed that together make up Missouri's $14.7 billion state budget for fiscal year 1998, which begins July 1. As usual across the state and here in Southeast Missouri, there was both good and bad news for those awaiting the news.

First, for our area, the not so good: Along with a dozen or so other higher education projects around the state, the governor vetoed a $2 million appropriation from the capital improvements bill for a new polytechnic facility at Southeast Missouri State University. This sets back plans for the university to move ahead immediately with the new building, which would replace century-old Serena Hall. The proposed Southeast project is, in dollar terms, the largest of eight such projects at schools around the state that the governor vetoed.

The good news is in vocational-technical education. Two appropriations of $1.5 million, for the Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School and for the new Sikeston Area Higher Education Center, are now signed into law.

The Cape vo-tech appropriation represents nearly half the state's 50 percent share of $3.15 million for this new facility. The other 50 percent share, or $3.15 million, comes from the Cape Girardeau School District. School district officials can now continue with plans for building the new school. Planning for the Sikeston facility can proceed as well.

The governor makes the sensible point that the vetoed items weren't included in his budget, And, while they all have merit, state budgeteers must set priorities and make difficult choices. Moreover, many are like the polytechnic institute at Southeast in that they obligate the state not just this year, but for many years down the road. It is in the nature of the governor's job that he must be a watchdog of the state budget and be willing to say no. This doesn't mean the vetoed measures are without merit, a point the governor stressed this week. They can be considered in the future.

These capital improvements mean a big step forward for Southeast Missouri this week.