for
the Amherst campus of the University of Massachusetts
August 31, 2001
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Legislature divided over budget issues by Daniel J. Fitzgibbons, Chronicle staff  awmakers last week approved another two-week interim state budget after sparring over the issue of Clean Elections funding.Acting Gov. Jane Swift included $23 million for Clean Elections in her stopgap spending request. The House initially approved the money, but restricted its use to candidates running for statewide office. But after the Senate extended the Clean Elections coverage to legislative candidates, the House removed the $23 million from the measure. Rather than face a state government shutdown, the Senate approved the revised spending plan and passed it on to Swift, who agreed to sign it. Meanwhile, a $495.6 million final deficiency budget for Fiscal Year 2001 cleared the House of Representatives on Aug. 23. The measure contains a $10 million reserve for the Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Initiative and $6.5 million in matching funds for the University's Endowed Professorship program The Life Sciences Initiative is a $92 million project to create biotechnology collaborations between the University and Springfield's Baystate Medical Center, along with a biotechnology center, to be located in facilities at UMass and Baystate. It is to be financed by the University, along with money from the state, the federal government and private sources. Not long after its passage, however, the House measure came under fire from Springfield area legislators and newspapers for placing restrictive language on the release of the state funds until the remainder of the money is secured. On Monday, the Senate passed its version of the deficiency budget, a $672.5 million package that reportedly does not include money for the life sciences initiative. The differences must be resolved by Friday or the surplus funds will be diverted to the state's Stabilization Fund. |
