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Budget plans prepare for the worst
The Advocate
Mt. Hood Community College administrators are preparing for the worst in planning the college’s budget over the next two years, despite Governor Ted Kulongoski’s community college funding recommendations being 3 percent less than the previous biennium.
According to the governor’s state website, community colleges are to receive $485 million for the 2009-2011 state budget. There is an additional $15 million set to be allocated to the General Fund during the 2010 supplemental legislative session to restore community college funding to $500 million.
MHCC President John Sygielski said Wednesday that despite the governor’s recommendations, the college will be preparing a budget with an estimated $440 million in funding.
“Currently, MHCC receives roughly $50 to $52 million per biennium in state funding,” said Sygielski. “We’re expecting somewhere more in the neighborhood of $44 million for the next biennium. If we could get more, that’s great, but right now we don’t want to over-prepare ourselves.”
Sygielski also said that there would be no discussion about finances during next Wednesday’s District Board meeting, and that there have been no discussions to this point.
“Around April 15 is when we can seriously start considering what we’re going to be doing with the budget,” Sygielski said. “It’s a moving target. Negotiations and discussions will occur in legislation and could take quite some time. There are just too many unknowns.”
All seven Board members were contacted about the budget and upcoming Board meeting, and only Ralph Yates responded via his secretary at the Columbia Family Medical Associates.
“As a Board member, I cannot discuss anything about upcoming meetings or information discussed by the Board,” said Yates. “Only the chair (Duke Shepard) can respond to such questions.”
The District Board meeting will be held March 11, when the regular session will start at 6:30 p.m. in the Town and Gown Room.