State funding for sports facilities?

[HoboD]

There is an interesting bill filed by the Regents in the legislature (SB66) which would appropriate 500K in general funds for a 4,000 square foot addition to the Barnett center. In this tight budget year, it has little chance of passing with general funds, however, it does appear the Regents are now willing to again ask for general funds for athletic facilities.

[Cowbell]

Re: State funding for sports facilities?

Now that's interesting. Over the past few year the Regents have implemented new programs to help Northern State. With Aberdeen being the third largest city in the state, they want to keep those people happy. Plus, Harvey Jewitt, long serving (too long) Regent member is from Aberdeen.

It makes me a little upset knowing that from 1980 (approximately) until last year, SDSU was dry with respect to HEFF money (Higher Education Facility Funds) going toward new construction on this campus. If SDSU wanted something, they had to pay for it.

[Jackrabbit]

Re: State funding for sports facilities?

Have they done this since they helped put a new roof on the Dome? Or is this the first request since?

[HoboD]

Re: State funding for sports facilities?

Have they done this since they helped put a new roof on the Dome? Or is this the first request since?

I dont recall any since the 10 million for the dome roof which was back when Janklow was still Governor so its been awhile.

[Nidaros]

Re: State funding for sports facilities?

I dont recall any since the 10 million for the dome roof which was back when Janklow was still Governor so its been awhile.

Technically the Dome Roof was not not state tax money collected, in fact I wonder if it was advanced to USD by Executive orders, since it came out of the tobacco setttlement money received by the state of SD for programs related to smoking cessation. Seems like the settlement money was discretionary for the Governor to use. I could be wrong here, but surely someone will know.

Its kind of hard to relate the roof to smoking or the lack of it. Maybe there is a no smoking policy at the dome, and if there is then you have very remote connection. I often wonder what Abbott and the boys had on Wild Bill to make him so generous. Will Bill was not that big of a friend to his alma mater.

[JackJD]

Re: State funding for sports facilities?

A list of college/university (and other) projects financed through bonding by the South Dakota Building Authority can by found at the SDBA site. The roof of the Dakota Dome is on the list.

When you access the site, click on "Projects Financed".

http://www.sd-ba.com/

[Nidaros]

Re: State funding for sports facilities?

A list of college/university (and other) projects financed through bonding by the South Dakota Building Authority can by found at the SDBA site. The roof of the Dakota Dome is on the list.

When you access the site, click on "Projects Financed".

http://www.sd-ba.com/

Not to make this a big debate, but what I recall was the roof replacement was about a 11-14 million dollar project so as the list says probably about half came from bonds, or $6,500,000 that is listed, but also about 4 million came from the tobacco fund and the USD foundation was to raise the balance. It was very expensive project, money that was not easy to come by. From a maintence view, the new roof has probably paid its way on savings in utility costs, and maybe that got former Gov Janklow's attention. I apologize for the name calling in the prior post, but his enemies seem to resort to that tactic. I think Gov Janklow is a very bright person and not easily fooled.

[HoboD]

Re: State funding for sports facilities?

I guess my point in starting this thread was simply to point out that by submitting the current bill for Northern and the Barnett center, it seems to me they are endorsing the idea of requesting general funds for athletics facillities and I would hope that they would be consistent down the road and be willing to request general funds for similar facilities at SDSU. Again, as stated earlier, there is no way that that bill will pass with a general funds appropriation this year due to the revenue shortfalls.

[Nidaros]

Re: State funding for sports facilities?

I guess my point in starting this thread was simply to point out that by submitting the current bill for Northern and the Barnett center, it seems to me they are endorsing the idea of requesting general funds for athletics facillities and I would hope that they would be consistent down the road and be willing to request general funds for similar facilities at SDSU. Again, as stated earlier, there is no way that that bill will pass with a general funds appropriation this year due to the revenue shortfalls.

Just a speculative thought here, but do you suppose the support for this bill will hang on the arguement that the foundation at NSU is not as proactive as the SDSU and USD foundations, and that the number of alumni at NSU are smaller in number than SDSU and USD?

If I were a NSU spokesman before the legislative committees, this would be a big point to make and possibly the salons will buy into it. Also I recall Harvey Jewett BOR Chairman with USD connections and long time Aberdeen resident, suriprised me in approving SDSU D1 move, made a big point of saying that the SDSU Foundation had been successful in the past in raising money and for that reason, he did not see a problem SDSU going D1. So something tells me, the abilities of foundations or the lack of it to raise funds has something to do with this bill.

[Cowbell]

Re: State funding for sports facilities?

It seems in a year where everything is getting pinched, a half million dollars to Northern State Teachers College for a athletic facility upgrade might be a little hard for legislators to swallow.

[Nidaros]

Re: State funding for sports facilities?

It seems in a year where everything is getting pinched, a half million dollars to Northern State Teachers College for a athletic facility upgrade might be a little hard for legislators to swallow.

I believe you are absolutely correct, and judging by the Gov Rounds remarks as seen on KELO, its looking bleak for everything that relies on state funding.

[joeboo22]

Re: State funding for sports facilities?

There is an interesting bill filed by the Regents in the legislature (SB66) which would appropriate 500K in general funds for a 4,000 square foot addition to the Barnett center. In this tight budget year, it has little chance of passing with general funds, however, it does appear the Regents are now willing to again ask for general funds for athletic facilities.

ok.... you are wrong with the bill.... what it says is that the BOR's has agreed to accept bids on an addition up to $527,000.... It sounds like they have the money or a significant portion of it already committed.... they aren't general funds...
Here is the 2nd part of the bill...

Section 2. The Board of Regents is hereby appropriated the sum of five hundred fifty-seven thousand dollars ( $557,000 ) of other fund expenditure authority, payable from funds donated for the purposes of this Act, for the total project cost authorized by this Act.

Its already appropriated... which means the BOR's has the money and is agreeing to give so much of it to NSU... In return NSU agrees to fund raise a significant portion of the cost...

just want to clear things up...

[joeboo22]

Re: State funding for sports facilities?

I thought I may have came on a little rude on the last program... so to try to clarify things a little bit I'll explain it..

Every year so much money is given to the BOR's... most is used for general BOR's type things... general upgrades, general cost... nothing big.... I believe all capital outlay programs have to go through the legislature and the BOR... I believe this is one of them, however this ones seems a little different... More like the BOR's is willing to front the money that they already have, and then the university will accept donations and pay back the BOR....

In other words they aren't going to the state and asking for $500,000... they are going to the state and asking for approval of the project (similar to the dykhouse center) and for the University to accept donations...

As far as other funds like the smoking settlement, rainy day fund, property tax relief fund, state cement plant fund... I believe there is a number of different funds that have a value of around 800 million in them.... all of them are different. Some the governor can use with just a simple majority, others need 2/3rds passage...

[Cowbell]

Re: State funding for sports facilities?

If joeboo22's interpretation is correct, well it would be crap. Let's say the Regents front Northern State Teacher's College the money and the thing gets built. Then they go out and ask for money? That is so stupid it's funny. No donor with half a brain would give money. Why would they ... the thing is already built. The reason why you would give money is to build something.

How stupid can you get.

[JimmyJack]

Re: State funding for sports facilities?

Keep in mind that it's likely that the federal stimulus package will include money for the states, for Medicaid at least. We spend something like $250 million (or more) from our general fund on the state's share of Medicaid. The point is, state officials are acting very responsibly based on the information they have now. It's likely that federal money will at least help make up the shortfall in the state budget. We'll know a lot more by the end of February.