Topeka — Some lawmakers say a trip by the Legislature to Manhattan to hear about a proposal to build university research facilities is a waste of money and unfair to other pressing state needs competing for tight budget dollars.
The 2002 legislative session starts Monday amid the worst budget problems in decades. State leaders have warned that education, social services and highways could be on the chopping block.
Three days later, on Thursday, most, if not all, 165 members of the Legislature will take an unprecedented trip to Kansas State University in Manhattan to be briefed on a plan to spend $115 million in bonds for research buildings at Kansas University, Kansas State and Wichita State University.
"When you are facing a $426 million budget shortfall, there is no room for needless expenses," said House Democratic Leader Jim Garner of Coffeyville.
But Republican legislative leaders who proposed the trip defended it as necessary to persuade the Legislature to fast-track the research proposal.
"I think this is a great opportunity," said Sen. Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, chairman of the Senate budget-writing committee.
Under the proposal, KU would receive $65 million in bonds to build a life sciences research center; Kansas State would receive $40 million for a food and crop safety research facility, and Wichita State would receive $10 million for aviation research.
The state would pay back the bonds for the first five years, and then the universities would be responsible for paying off the rest.
Morris and Rep. Kenny Wilk, R-Lansing, chairman of the House budget committee, planned the meeting where the Legislature will meet for a day at Kansas State to hear from officials from the three universities about their plans.
Morris and Wilk said the research facilities will help Kansas draw down federal research and private funds in the expanding area of life sciences research. They also said the recent terrorist attacks have made research on food safety and aviation a top priority.
Garner said he is not arguing whether the proposals have merit. He said he is opposed to the expense of transporting the entire Legislature to Kansas State to hear about them.
"If the project is as important as is being billed, then they shouldn't need a special dog and pony show to make the case," he said.
He also complained that the three universities were getting special treatment from the Legislature when there are numerous other pressing needs.
"Allowing a special privilege for just three of our regents universities that has not been afforded to anyone else doesn't instill a sense of fairness to the other essential state programs or regents institutions facing the same budget ax," he said.
Some Republicans also have privately grumbled about the appearance of the Legislature taking a field trip during tough economic times.
But Morris and Wilk defended the trip, saying the proposal was important to the future economy of the state, and getting the Legislature outside the Capitol to hear about it would focus legislators' attention.
They also said the food safety facility was of national importance. Morris said an earlier presentation by Kansas State for the food safety facility showed how easy it would be for terrorists to contaminate the nation's food supply.
"Anyone who saw that presentation it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up," he said.
They also said the expense would be minimal, though they didn't have an estimate on the cost.
The Kansas National Guard will transport legislators in buses, and Kansas State will provide a buffet-style lunch.
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