Wednesday, September 6, 2006
Contact: Spence Jackson, 573-751-0290
Blunt’s Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative Continues to Gain Momentum
University of Missouri Leaders, Missouri State President; Democrat State Representatives Endorse Governor’s Vision for Higher Education
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt’s visionary proposal to provide needed capital improvement projects to Missouri colleges and universities and to stimulate economic growth has received the support of University of Missouri system leaders, the President of Missouri State University (MSU) and State Representatives Jeff Harris and Judy Baker, both Democrats, from the Columbia area.
“I am pleased to have the University of Missouri’s vote of confidence in the Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative, the support of MSU President Nietzel as well as the support of leading House Democrats Jeff Harris and Judy Baker who see the value this project will have on higher education and our state’s economy,” Blunt said. “These are encouraging signs in advance of the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA) and the Missouri Development Finance Board (MDFB) considering our revised proposal.”
The executive staff at MOHELA has reviewed the plan and has said it is a sound proposal. Attorney’s for MOHELA and MDFB have separately reviewed the proposal and have deemed it to be an extension of the statutory authority currently granted to MDFB.
University of Missouri system leaders endorsed the initiative including a portion making MOHELA’s services more available to MU students. This coupled with Department of Economic Development’s pledge of at least $1 billion in private activity bond allocation over a ten-year period will provide financial stabilization for MOHELA and will help them meet their $350 million part of the agreement.
In a Sept. 5 letter to MOHELA Board President Karen Lubert, MSU President Michael Nietzel said, “While the sale of MOHELA assets to fund this initiative is innovative, it is not unique. Loan authorities in other states have successfully taken similar actions without any disadvantages to students. We have spent time investigating these initiatives, and we are satisfied that the students’ interests can be protected. Otherwise, we would not be endorsing the plan.”
House Minority Leader Jeff Harris issued a statement on Sept. 1 saying in part “I support the latest MOHELA proposal,” and “these projects are particularly important for the University of Missouri…”
Rep. Judy Baker said Blunt’s initiative “will greatly benefit Mizzou and the state’s other public colleges and universities, and I support the plan going forward at this point.” Baker went on to say that the state “will benefit for generations from the discoveries that take place at the new health sciences research and education facility.”
This bipartisan support comes on the heels of an agreement reached between Blunt, House Speaker Rod Jetton and Senate President Pro-Tem Mike Gibbons to move forward on the initiative to help Missouri compete with other states and other countries in the burgeoning health and plant science fields and to attract and retain good, family-supporting jobs for working families.
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