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Give community colleges more money, House says BY PETER WONG SALEM -- State aid to Oregon's 17 community colleges, including Rogue Community College, will increase modestly in the next two years in the budget that cleared the House Friday. But the budget excludes money for new long-distance learning programs and growing student enrollments, which were led statewide by RCC's 34 percent rate during the first half of the 1998-99 academic year. The budget went to the Senate on a 56-2 vote. Sen. Lenn Hannon, R-Ashland, said he hoped a bill at the end of the session would restore some money for the other items. The state's contribution from the tax-supported general fund is $426 million, $6 million less than Gov. John Kitzhaber asked for but still $30 million more than in the past two years. Another $3 million will go separately to the Emergency Board, which meets between legislative sessions, for the second year of partnerships of community colleges and state universities. RCC, which extended full service to Jackson County in 1997, and Southern Oregon University are counting on $2 million to continue their partnership for another two years. Part of that sum will buy more classroom, laboratory and library space they will share in downtown Medford. Rep. Carl Wilson, R-Grants Pass, said it was only after he turned 30 that he decided to return to school at RCC to improve his skills. "I was surrounded by a number of people my age and older at that time who were getting back into the system to make something of their lives," he said. "It has been interesting to look at their track record. They have succeeded." The Legislature's only significant cut from Kitzhaber's budget request was $2 million for the technology to start the long-distance learning programs. "We believe we should move ahead with the funding needed to maintain community college services," said Rep. Barbara Ross, D-Corvallis, the budget's floor manager. "They are one of the finest institutions we have in this state. They have made success possible for so many people." The shares of state aid to RCC and other community colleges are linked to enrollments. RCC President Harvey Bennett said earlier that the state should adjust its distribution of aid to reflect the increased enrollments of community colleges that expand into previously unserved areas, such as RCC did in Jackson County. But he said he would try to resolve it without asking for a change in the distribution formula. The overall budget is $531.3 million, including federal grants. Community colleges also receive tuition. Rep. Judy Uherbelau, D-Ashland, was one of two votes against the budget. She said she did it as a protest against the process that produced the budget. "This budget is certainly not too much, and it is probably too little," she said. "But this House is like a broken faucet. We bring out budgets, drop by drop, with no conception of where we are. The majority party has seen fit not to sit down and discuss this with the rest of us." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA