Legislators While state lawmakers welcome University of Hawaii President Evan Dobelle's proposed $700 million in capital improvement projects as good ideas, some of them question the timing for such an aggressive expansion plan.
question funding
for UH projects
Some say they need to look
at the overall economic
picture firstBy Treena Shapiro
tshapiro@starbulletin.com
House Higher Education Chairman Roy Takumi (D, Pearl City-Waipahu) said all the projects Dobelle proposed Tuesday, including a medical complex in Kakaako and a new UH-West Oahu campus in downtown Kapolei, were pushed by the university before.
"The question is whether or not we fund them all at the current time," he said. "If the rationale is to jump-start the economy, I'm not sure about that."
The state Legislature is expected to convene a special session later this month to address the state's economic crisis, which came as tourism tumbled after the Sept. 11 attacks. Dobelle said the proposals to put UH capital improvement on the fast track would help the state's shaky economy by helping the construction industry.
After meeting with Dobelle yesterday, Senate President Robert Bunda (D, Wahiawa-Waialua-Sunset Beach) said he and other lawmakers were generally in support of the university, but they would have to look at the overall picture before determining whether to fund the projects during the special session.
Takumi noted that UH already has $13 million available to begin the design of the new medical school, and suggested that perhaps the construction funds could wait until the regular legislative session in January.
"Even on the fastest track, it takes six months for the plans to be drawn up," he said.
After getting through the design, environmental assessment and permit process, it would take six months before the construction industry would see any benefits, he said. "Can you tell me where the economy is going to be in six months?"
Dobelle said that if he were given the money immediately, he could have construction started before January.
He noted that the medical complex, unlike the other projects he proposed, is independent of the governor's request for $1 billion for construction projects. The $300 million would be funded half by the state's tobacco fund, expected to reach $1.2 billion in 25 years, and half through private fund raising by the university.
"It's less expensive and quicker if we do it right now. Why should we wait if the tobacco money isn't impacting the debate on (capital improvement projects)?" Dobelle said.
Currently, 40 percent of the tobacco fund goes toward the state's rainy-day fund, $10 million goes into a trust fund, and the remainder goes to the state Department of Health, according to Gov. Ben Cayetano.
Cayetano said yesterday that the tobacco fund could be reapportioned and that $14 million a year could be pledged toward the medical school and cancer research center.
"Certainly medical research is something that ties into the tobacco settlement, so that's what it's all about, health care problems caused by tobacco," he said.
The governor has suggested that expediting the construction of the medical school and the UH-West Oahu campus could stimulate the economy.
As far as the other construction projects Dobelle suggested, Cayetano said, "If I had my way, I'd support them all because I think it's a good time to invest and the rates are better and better."
"But if it looks like it's an uphill climb to move ahead, I think we need to make some choices," he said. "The priorities to me would be repair and maintenance to the University of Hawaii, West Oahu, the medical school (and) maybe Hilo."
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