The Illinois state budget was approved by lawmakers on time and Eastern survived with a 2.8 percent budget increase, but Rep. Chapin Rose, R- Mahomet, is concerned with the delayed delivery of the bill to Governor Rod Blagojevich.

“At this time of year, the university’s budget is always evolving,” said Jeff Cooley, vice president for Business Affairs. “Currently, the fiscal year 2009 budget includes $1,377,000 in new state appropriated funds. This is the amount recommended by the General Assembly.”

The governor has 60 days upon receiving the bill to instigate changes and to sign it into law or veto it. Rose said he hopes the delay in presenting the bill to Blagojevich isn’t a political scheme to derail party plans.

“A lot of this seems like a fight to be king of Chicago, but I don’t care who’s king because I just want them all to leave southern Illinois alone,” Rose said.

He feels that pressuring Blagojevich to make cuts to the budget that’s over $2 billion in deficit would compromise state funding to institutions in his district, such as Eastern.

“(Mike) Madigan said publicly that they passed the budget knowing it was in the hole and that they’d let Blagojevich cut it,” Rose said. “For a guy who cut higher education every time, I think that 2.8 percent is up first.”

If Blagojevich had received the bill on June 1, he would have had a potential 60 days to make adjustments and 30 days until the new fiscal year begins. Now that he still hasn’t officially received the piece of legislation, a full 60 days would run too far into the new fiscal year and funds could be owed before Blagojevich has officially appropriated them, Rose said.

Numerous phone calls to Blagojevich’s office were not returned and a comment on higher education was not issued.

Interim Budget Director William Weber said Eastern’s fiscal year 2009 budget that was planned nearly a year ago, was done so with a worse case scenario of a zero percent increase in state allocations.

The unexpectedly large increase has been accounted for.

“(The money) would be used to fund the president’s priorities of enhancing service and leadership opportunities for students; fine arts programming and outreach; study abroad opportunities; and the honors program,” Cooley said.

Rose believes the approved budget instills false hope among statewide institutions and organizations. He hopes Eastern’s faith is rewarded because cutting the projected increase would demoralize the already superbly efficient academic programs.

“It depends on what time of year the cuts occur,” Cooley said. “Certain scheduled deferred maintenance projects can be put on hold. Later in the year, it becomes more problematic because the funds are committed for salaries and other purchases.”

According to the Illinois State Budget, Eastern’s total allocation would be $49,189,200 and projected tuition revenue would be $57,281,000.

“In fiscal year 2008, for the first time, tuition is generating more money for the university than what comes from the state,” Weber said. “That trend is easily continuing.”

Rick Kambic can be reached at 581-7942 or at rwkambic@eiu.edu.