A Catawba County legislator worked a deal Thursday that, if approved by the entire House, would provide an additional $600,000 in recurring funds for the North Carolina Engineering Technology Center. This is a collaborative project between the UNC system and community colleges in the Hickory area, designed to attract new companies to the area by providing technical education.
Rep. Mark Hilton, R-Catawba, convinced members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education to find the extra annual $600,000. Initially, House leaders proposed only spending $600,000 in nonrecurring, or one-time funds, from the 2008 Fiscal Year to cover start-up funds for the center. They did not fund the center in the second year of the biennium. Hilton’s efforts sought an additional $600,000 in funding for the program and to make the funds recurring for future budgets.
The Hickory funding discussions, which took place as the subcommittee grappled to come up with a budget recommendation, illustrate how budget maneuvering operates as the House and Senate budgets begin to take shape.
House leaders expect to release a final budget document early this week, with a possible vote by Thursday. The university system is scheduled to receive $2.55 billion in the House budget, which includes planning funds for the ECU Dental School and allows part-time private college students to participate in the legislative tuition grant program.
Hilton’s amendment would fund the recurring funds for the Hickory center by further cutting middle management positions in the UNC system. Subcommittee members had proposed an $18.6 million cut in such positions as part of UNC President Erskine Bowles’ efforts to streamline administrative efforts throughout the system. Hilton’s request takes the cut to $19.2 million, more than committee leaders had approved during private meetings prior to Thursday’s vote.
Hilton’s amendment came after two seemingly arbitrary attempts to find vulnerable programs that could be cut failed to receive general support from the committee.
The first attempt failed to gain any traction. Hilton attempted to remove funding increases from TEACCH, Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication-Handicapped Children. The program is slated for a $368,00 increase in both years of the biennium for expansion projects, pay raises, and to provide matching funds for federal projects.
Committee chairs Rep. Rick Glazier, R-Guilford, and Rep. Ray Rapp, D-Madison, informed Hilton that they supported his efforts but refused to support taking money from autism programs to fund the center.
They told Hilton to work with UNC leaders to find other areas to come up with the needed funds.
After some discussion, Hilton presented an amended amendment, this time seeking to pull funds from a reserve fund financed through positions within the UNC system that had not been filled for more than two years. Glazier said the fund currently stands at $6.9 million.
But Glazier and others hesitated to throw their support behind this version of Hilton’s request. Glazier said the diversion of funds, although small compared to the total, could hurt some of the smaller schools in the system, including the state’s historically black colleges and universities.
UNC Vice President for Finance Rob Nelson also appeared hesitant about taking the money out of the fund, saying that any further cuts would harm institutions.
Hilton was asked to go back to the drawing board, where he eventually found support through increased cuts in middle management positions. The amendment was unanimously approved.
Hilton was not the only member to pass amendments on Thursday nor was his the only one that needed to be revamped. However, Hilton’s took the most time and maneuvering in what was a three-hour meeting combing through the budget proposal and provisions.
Among the other amendments passed Thursday was one sponsored by Rapp that changed a $750,00 increase for UNC-Charlotte’s lateral entry program. Instead of the increase to go just to UNC-Charlotte, the funding would now be spread across all UNC institutions to increase the number of lateral entry teachers. The lateral entry program allows professionals to enter the teaching profession while going back to school to receive certification.
Committee members can still make amendments to the budget request in the full Appropriations committee and on the floor during budget debates, according to legislators and members of the Fiscal Research Division.