Some question sincerity of Ehrlich's funding hikes

While the thanks have been overflowing since Gov. Robert Ehrlich announced a record budget increase for higher education, some have questioned the governor's sincerity after a rocky record funding the University System of Maryland for the first half of his term.

Though many have denounced the funding boost as election-year power play, state and system officials say that regardless of who wins the governor's seat a looming state budget deficit threatens future funding for higher education.

The state projects a deficit for fiscal year 2009 when committed funds to public primary schools kick in, and without a constitutional requirement to fund higher education, legislators warn the system isn't safe.

Officials say this year's budget - which included a proposed $117 million boost to higher education - does not necessarily signal a turn toward a bright and happy future, but they have little criticism of Ehrlich's proposed budget nonetheless. Many say the boost - and not the $120 million in cuts to the system during the first half of his term - demonstrates Ehrlich's support for higher education.

"I think this budget goes way beyond what one might call an 'election-year budget,'" System Chancellor Brit Kirwan said.

Experts say while cuts are unavoidable during fiscal crises, Ehrlich (R) has shown that when he has the resources, higher education can benefit.

"I think it shows Governor Ehrlich is not against higher education in principle," said university government and politics professor James Gimpel. "He will find the funding for higher education when budgetary times are bright ... when we have budgetary shortfalls, everyone gets cut."

System officials agreed.

"It's not politically motivated," Ehrlich ally and Board of Regents member Dick Hug said. "You do what you can do when you have the funds available."

Despite the motivations, the boost is not a permanent fix. At a lobbying event held by the system's Student Council last week, Sen. P.J. Hogan (D-Montgomery) sobered what was otherwise a pep rally, saying the system will face future cuts if fiscal conditions return to where they were when Ehrlich took office in 2002.

Del. Anthony Brown (D-Prince George's), who is running for lieutenant governor on Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley's ticket, said he doesn't expect proposed budgets like this year's if Ehrlich is re-elected, as the cuts in his first two years in office were among the deepest of any state agency.

"I don't think his increased spending this year should suggest a long-term commitment to higher education," he said. "Yeah, you've got to make some cuts, but the depth of the cuts is evidence he doesn't support public higher education. He believes work and family should pay private school tuition at public schools."

According to Shareese DeLeaver, one of Ehrlich's press secretaries, said the only reason past budgets were smaller than this year's was because of the poor state of the economy.

"The funding of all of Maryland's priorities is intricately tied to the fiscal outlook and well-being of our state," she said. Two of Ehrlich's five pillars of his term, DeLeaver emphasized, are education and fiscal responsibility.

University and system officials say they have seen a change in the Ehrlich administration - not just in the economy. With crunches to fund mandatory costs such as state employee health care benefits, energy and cost of living salary adjustments, the university and system faced bills larger than expected. But officials said the Ehrlich administration was unusually understanding and the budget increase accounted for these issues.

The administration also allotted funding for the projected enrollment growth the system faces. Non-research system institutions such as Towson and Salisbury universities are expecting an influx of students in the coming years.

Kirwan said the agreement set important precedents for the years to come.

"In my lifetime in higher education, Maryland has not systematically recognized the cost of enrollment growth," Kirwan said. "And the governor clearly targeted funds to provide the state's share of the cost of enrollment growth."

The university and system try to plan for long-term stability through initiatives such the system's four-year tuition plan, but Mote made clear they don't serve as expectations for budgets to come.

"A lot is determined by the election this year, that's kind of a given," he said, as the entire legislative and executive branches face re-election this year.

But Kirwan did not express worry over budget forecasts, just satisfaction with the advancement of the budget.

"We will always have our ups and downs," he said. "It's just the nature of the economic ebbs and flows."

Contact reporter Scott Dance at dancedbk@gmail.com