$70 million for ucla
Prop. 55 would fund seismic upgrades
BY CYNTHIA LEE
UCLA Today Staff
The March 2 statewide ballot will pose a $12.3-billion question
to California voters: Should a bond of that amount be floated to
provide construction funds to make long-overdue repairs, relieve
overcrowding and upgrade aging school buildings on campuses, from
K-12 to community colleges and universities?
At stake for UCLA in this upcoming election is about $70 million
worth of seismic corrections and life safety improvements to campus
buildings in need of repair and reinforcement. Projects would be
funded over 2004-05 and 2005-06.
If passed, the proposition, a companion measure to one approved
by California voters on Nov. 5, 2002, would provide UC with a total
of $690 million to make seismic and safety repairs to aging classroom,
lab, hospital and office buildings. The bond would be repaid from
state revenues over the next 30 years and would not increase taxes
or create new ones.
If voters approve it, UCLA would be able to make critical seismic
corrections and life safety improvements to several buildings that
have long been on a list of seismic-deficient buildings, said Sue
Santon, assistant vice chancellor for Capital Programs.
“Work on the Center for Health Sciences South Tower is the
most significant element of the plan,” she said.
Other buildings tentatively slated for seismic correction include
the Graduate School of Education & Information Studies building,
located just west of the Young Research Library, three of the nine
buildings in the Geology-Young Hall complex and Campbell Hall.
Finally, Proposition 55 funds are being requested for the preliminary
planning and working drawing phases of a project to construct a
replacement building for the Life Sciences Building, which has never
undergone a major renovation, renewal or upgrade since it was built
in phases between 1954 and 1964.
Proposition 55 is being supported by the UC Board of Regents,
the California State PTA, the California Chamber of Commerce, California
Taxpayers’ Association and the League of Women Voters of California,
among others. It is opposed by critics that include the National
Tax-Limitation Committee, State Sen. Thomas “Rico” Oller
(R-San Andreas), and the 60-Plus Association. For a full text of
the ballot arguments for and against, visit the Secretary of State’s
Web site at www.voterguide.ss.ca.gov/propositions/prop55-arguments.html.
To see UC’s Web site, go to www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/prop55.
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