Myers discusses education finance
Marianne Equi
Issue date: 2/17/03 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
State Representative Rich Myers (R-Colchester) has been re-appointed to serve as the Republican spokesman on the Appropriations-Higher Education Committee in the Illinois General Assembly.
He has been a member of the committee since its conception.
“I am pleased that I have been re-appointed to the position of spokesperson for the House Appropriations-Higher Education Committee. Given the situation with the state budget, it is particularly important to protect the interests of the colleges and universities in my district,” Myers said.
According to Myers, the committee concerns itself with the fiscal matters of higher education, including review of proposed budgets and state university retirement, make recommendations to legislative bodies regarding budgets and pass bills.
“My purpose is to guarantee that higher education gets the money they deserve, and to ensure that proposed budget cuts are minimal and logically analyzed,” Myers said.
According to Myers, one of the committee’s goals is to ensure that everyone has a chance to see in what ways state universities are actually spending their money.
He said the committee has asked each state university to prepare a testimony about their budget, programs and future plans. The committee will hear one of these reports per week until April, when Gov. Blagojevich will present the budget. At this time, the committee will hear additional testimony.
He said that Western Illinois University President Al Goldfarb was being a prudent manager when he asked each vice president at the university to identify and hold 2 percent of their budget in case there is a request to return funds. He added that that is a good way to be prepared and identify options.
Myers also said that it could be to the advantage of colleges to show what would be lost in education by possible budget cuts.
In addition to the Appropriations-Higher Education Committee, Myers also serves on the Higher Education Committee, which deals with policy matters such as admissions, scholarships and programs.
“It gives me an opportunity to make sure Western has a voice in the legislative process,” Myers said.
Myers is also on the Agriculture and Conservation Committee, the State Government Administration Committee, and the Public Utilities Committee.
“My committee service enables me to help shape legislation before it reaches the full House of Representatives,” Myers said in a press release.
He has been a member of the committee since its conception.
“I am pleased that I have been re-appointed to the position of spokesperson for the House Appropriations-Higher Education Committee. Given the situation with the state budget, it is particularly important to protect the interests of the colleges and universities in my district,” Myers said.
According to Myers, the committee concerns itself with the fiscal matters of higher education, including review of proposed budgets and state university retirement, make recommendations to legislative bodies regarding budgets and pass bills.
“My purpose is to guarantee that higher education gets the money they deserve, and to ensure that proposed budget cuts are minimal and logically analyzed,” Myers said.
According to Myers, one of the committee’s goals is to ensure that everyone has a chance to see in what ways state universities are actually spending their money.
He said the committee has asked each state university to prepare a testimony about their budget, programs and future plans. The committee will hear one of these reports per week until April, when Gov. Blagojevich will present the budget. At this time, the committee will hear additional testimony.
He said that Western Illinois University President Al Goldfarb was being a prudent manager when he asked each vice president at the university to identify and hold 2 percent of their budget in case there is a request to return funds. He added that that is a good way to be prepared and identify options.
Myers also said that it could be to the advantage of colleges to show what would be lost in education by possible budget cuts.
In addition to the Appropriations-Higher Education Committee, Myers also serves on the Higher Education Committee, which deals with policy matters such as admissions, scholarships and programs.
“It gives me an opportunity to make sure Western has a voice in the legislative process,” Myers said.
Myers is also on the Agriculture and Conservation Committee, the State Government Administration Committee, and the Public Utilities Committee.
“My committee service enables me to help shape legislation before it reaches the full House of Representatives,” Myers said in a press release.