Prop
47 to provide more money for CSUs
By Kari Schneider
On-line Forty-Niner
Proposition
47, on the ballot Nov. 5, would provide
$13.05 billion in general obligation bonds
for the modernization and construction of
schools from elementary, K-12, to higher
education, like the California State University
system and University of California system.
“Education is bursting at the seams in California,”
said Sen. Jack Scott (D. Altadena). “It
is an investment, not just a cost, and it
is the only way for individuals to fuel
the economy.”
For Cal State Long Beach, Proposition 47
will provide funding for three things. the
modernization of the University Library
at a cost of $19 million; the Minor Capital
Outlay program, a renovation of about $1
million of the Peterson Hall; and equipment
for the new science building which would
cost about $3 million.
At the Associated Students Inc. Senate meeting
last week, Library officials gave a presentation
on how the Library would plan to use the
increased funding. One use is to add classrooms
and faculty office space. Another use is
for the Library to incorporate a robotic
book retrieval system. The Library also
hopes to place a Starbucks-like café
in the middle of the first floor lobby,
according to a On-line Forty-Niner article
Thursday.
Proposition 47 funding also will go toward
state-of-the-art teaching and research laboratories,
and new equipment for the new CSULB science
building and renovations to Peterson Hall
2 and 3, according a previous On-line Forty-Niner
article.
“If Proposition 47 does not pass then the
Library Project, science equipment and Minor
Capital funding will be lost,” said Scott
Charmack, associate vice president of Physical
Planning and Facilities Management.
The CSU system as a whole would get about
$496 million for libraries, classrooms,
labs, safety improvements and upgrade technology,
according to the CSU system Web site. The
CSU’s rapid increase in enrollment has created
a demand for new facilities, since most
of the campus’ facilities are more than
28 years old.
“Campuses are sitting on projects, waiting
for the funding from Proposition 47, said
CSU Chancellor Charles Reed “Construction
on campuses would begin within the next
three years.”
Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher said, “It’s natural
for voters who are confused about propositions
to vote no. There are two other really big
bonds on the Nov. 5 ballot that may scare
voters.”
Opposers to the bill argue that this proposition
would add to California’s debt and that
some of the larger school districts in the
state would get more money than others.
However, Daucher said that this bond was
decided on a need basis, which was worked
out among all the parties, K-12, community
colleges, UCs and CSUs and the legislatures.
“If we didn’t do it [the bond] this way,
education wouldn’t be a priority, ” Scott
said.
“It would be a disaster if Proposition 47
doesn’t pass,” Reed said. “Proposition 47
has the resources for every campus.”
Daucher agreed that it would be bad if Proposition
47 did not pass.
The fiscal impact of this proposition would
depend on interest rates and the time it
would take for the bonds to be repaid.
“The rates are the lowest in 25 years and
California offers the best rates,” Reed
said. “We should get more buildings because
of that,” said Reed.
If the $13.05 billion bonds are sold at
an interest rate of 5.25 percent and repaid
over 30 years, the cost over the time period
would be about $26.2 billion to pay off
both the principal and the interest, according
to the Office of the Legislative Analyst.
“No place is growing more rapidly than California.
The CSU had over 400,000 students enrolled
this year, which is about 6,000 more than
we anticipated,” Reed said. “[This proposition]
is helping now for later.”
|
