Harper will spend money to get money

Harper College will spend up to $100,000 to hire lobbyists in Springfield to help secure millions in state money.

Officials at the Palatine college say there's more than $55 million under consideration right now in capital projects and grants and they need all the help they can get.

At a board meeting Tuesday, trustees voted 5-1 in favor of spending this money to hire consultants to do lobbying work. Specific firms have not yet been chosen. Trustee William Kelley cast the only "no" vote and declined to comment after the meeting.

Over the past five years, Harper has lost more than $5 million in revenue as a result of state budget cuts, program cuts and unfunded mandates, officials say.

"We're really struggling with how to come to grips will all the state funding cuts," said spokesman Phil Burdick. "We have to fight for every dollar."

Items under consideration in Springfield are:

• $17.9 million in funding for renovations to Buildings G and H on campus. Both were built in the 1960s and need repair.

• $35.6 million to create a one-stop admissions and student life center. This new building would be centrally located on campus and would become a gathering place.

• House Bill 1434 to let Harper College offer select bachelor's degrees.

• House Bill 1876 that may require all community college districts create individual voting sub-districts.

• Various state grants.

Board Chair Laurie Stone said there's a chance many of these items will come forward in the fall veto session.

"We need to take some help down in Springfield," she said.

Burdick says that although the college hires lobbyists every year, the dollar amount set aside for it this year is so high because of all the state money Harper is trying to get.