Assembly Panel Approves College Construction Funds

A state Assembly bill to provide $4.8 million in construction funds for Mission College passed out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.

The bill’s author, Assemblyman Tony Cardenas (D-Sylmar), says it would make Mission College eligible for $4.8 million in construction money.

The state money was originally awarded in 1992, but the college lost eligibility when it did not spend it by last year’s deadline.

Jose Cornejo, Cardenas’ chief of staff, says the bill includes restrictions that will ensure the money is spent on a specific building project.

“Since September they’ve had seven or eight different plans,” said Cornejo. “I don’t think the community has signed off. I have not seen a detailed plan to show what they are going to do with this money. We just get these concepts, but no details. I’ve heard their concepts change and change.”

But Shari Borchetta, vice president of administrative services at Mission College, said a plan for a 20,000-square-foot, two-story laboratory and office building has already been approved by community groups, the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees and the state chancellor of community colleges.

Patrick McCallum, the college district’s lobbyist, said the district hopes the money is allocated as part of the state’s 1999-2000 budget. He said the Cardenas bill was a “backup” measure in case the funding is deleted from the budget.