State Senate expected to OK funding

The State Senate is expected to pass a bill today that would restore $36.3 million in state funding to the University, a Senate Appropriations Committee official said yesterday. State Senator Vincent Fumo (D-Phila.) is sponsoring the bill which, if enacted, would give the University most of the state funding requested for the current fiscal year and provide critical support to the Veterinary School. "This [bill] will go to vote [today] and [Fumo] expects this to pass," said Paul Dluglecki, executive director of the Senate Appropriations Committee. "We feel we have most of our colleagues' support and most the Republicans as well. There may be a few votes against, but it should pass." Before the University can receive any state money, the bill must also pass in the State House of Representatives and gain the approval of Gov. Robert Casey. University officials and members of Fumo's staff said they are uncertain how the House or Casey will view the bill. "[The House is] not even organized yet," Dluglecki said. He added that Fumo spoke to House Appropriations Committee chairperson Dwight Evans (D-Phila.) yesterday, but that it is unclear what Evans will do with the bill. Evans was part of a delegation of Philadelphia state representatives who threatened last winter to block state funding for the University if the University did not agree to provide more Mayor's Scholarships for area high school students. "Evans told [Fumo] that [the House Appropriations Committee] is looking carefully at [the bill] and will get back to us at the proper time," Dluglecki said. The University received $37.6 million from the state in fiscal year 1991-92. But last February, after the University requested $41.2 million from the state for the current fiscal year, Casey recommended that the legislature eliminate all funding for the University. Lawmakers later included no money in the state budget. The bill that goes to vote today is part of an 11-bill, $73.5 million package for higher education. The package would come from approximately $200 million in unappropriated available revenue. University officials continue to praise Fumo's efforts. "One has to feel good that Senator Fumo would present this bill so early in the session and move it through with such speed," Budget Director Stephen Golding said yesterday. "It indicates his support for private education, the University and the City of Philadelphia." Golding added that he is hopeful that any obstacles to the bill's passage in the House can be resolved and that a significant percentage of state funding will be restored. Dluglecki said Fumo was motivated more out of the fear that jobs will be lost if the funding is not restored, than by the University's lobbying efforts. "The University legislative relations people have always done an excellent job," Dluglecki said. "But Fumo was primarily motivated by people in his district and that work in his district." A statement released by Fumo earlier this week said that the University's "threatened closing" of the Veterinary School could result in the loss of 600 jobs at the University and 2,000 jobs throughout the state. The $36.3 million represents 96.5 percent of the $37.6 million the University received in fiscal year 1991-92. University officials said earlier this week that with state revenues rising, they hope Casey decides to fund private higher education in this year's budget. In his State of the State address yesterday, Casey said that the state "stood on firm ground" fiscally, but did not say whether he is in favor of the funding restoration. Casey will give his budget address on February 9. The University has asked for a full restoration of the $41.2 million requested for the current fiscal year and for approximately six percent more for the 1993-94 fiscal year. Fumo could not be reached for comment yesterday