Manhattan — Despite tough economic times, state leaders Thursday endorsed a $115 million plan to help build research facilities at Kansas' three largest public universities, saying the proposals focusing on medicine, food safety and aviation were vital to the state's future and national security.
"If we don't invest now, we have failed to plan adequately for our future," said state Sen. Sandy Praeger, R-Lawrence.
About 110 of the state's 165 legislators traveled to Manhattan to attend the 4 1/2-hour meeting where top officials and researchers from Kansas University, Kansas State University and Wichita State University reviewed research work at the schools and talked about expansion proposals.
The proposal
Under a plan before the Legislature, lawmakers would authorize the sale of about $115 million in bonds to finance three projects: $65 million to KU to help build a biomedical research center; $40 million to KSU to build a food safety and security facility, and $10 million to WSU to expand its aviation engineering laboratory.
State taxpayers would pay back the bonds for the first five years about $5 million per year, according to preliminary estimates and the schools would be responsible for paying off the remaining debt. School officials have said they could pay back the bonds through increased research activity generated by the new facilities.
Lawmakers said they were impressed by the proposals, and despite the worst state budget deficit in decades, key legislators vowed the Legislature would OK the bond plan.
"I didn't bring the House over here for a day off," said House Speaker Kent Glasscock, R-Manhattan. "I'm going to do everything I can to make it pass. Clearly this is an investment in our state's future."
National repercussions
And not only the state's future.
Higher education officials said the nation's health and safety were at stake. Research at the facilities would lead to breakthroughs in the treatment of disease, improve air travel and help fight the war against terrorism and biological threats to the nation's food supply, they said.
"We are shortchanged right now, but we have got to find a way to do this," said Clay Blair, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents.
Rep. Joe Shriver, D-Arkansas City, said he believed the Legislature was ready to adopt the plan. "This train has homeland security written all over it, and you can get defeated by not supporting it."
Lawmakers were urged on by U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts and U.S. Rep. Jerry Moran, both Kansas Republicans.
Roberts has been prodding the Kansas Legislature for at least two years to emphasize research, saying that Kansas was missing out on its fair share of defense and science research grants.
Roberts said the proposed food safety facility at Kansas State was crucial because an attack on the nation's food supply is one of top three biggest defensive concerns of the federal government.
The Kansas State facility would be used to develop methods to protect plants and animals from infectious diseases. Jerry Jaax, a Kansas State expert on bioterrorism, said agricultural targets would be easy for terrorists and deadly, both by putting diseases in the food chain and causing economic panic.
Roberts also noted that KU's research on cancer, AIDS and the brain was top-notch but needed more funding.
Dr. Michael Welch, vice chancellor for research at the KU Medical Center, said the new research center would enhance researchers' ability to focus on ways to treat cancer and psychiatric and neurological diseases.
"The health of your people benefits, and the health of your economy benefits," Welch said.
In its report, the university said the lack of modern research space and laboratories was compromising the school's ability to recruit and retain the best researchers.
Finding the funding
State Reps. Tom Sloan, R-Lawrence, and Troy Findley, D-Lawrence, both said they supported the research facility proposal, as did Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence, although she said the state must first take care of funding education and social services.
Praeger said the research facility proposal could become "part of the mix" in the debate over whether to increase taxes to balance the budget or rely on only budget cuts.
State Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, said she supported the research proposal and believed it could be funded without a tax increase.
By all accounts, the meeting in Manhattan was the first time the entire Legislature was invited to leave Topeka to listen to a proposal. Many lawmakers rode in two Kansas National Guard buses that were reserved for the trip. Some lawmakers went by car and after the meeting headed home, because there is no legislative business going on today.
Students at Kansas State said they were glad to see the lawmakers. Erin Slattery, a freshman from Marion, was helping direct officials to the auditorium in the Kansas State Union where the meeting was held. Slattery, whose mother is an elementary school principal, said lawmakers need to increase taxes. "There's no other option. Schools already are underfunded," she said.
Some Democrats criticized the meeting, saying it was a waste of money during a tight budget year. But Republicans who helped organize the event said bringing lawmakers to Manhattan for the presentations helped keep them focused on the issue.
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