A proposal in Gov. Paul LePage’s budget plan seeking $100 million in borrowing for capital improvements at the University of Maine System cleared another hurdle Wednesday.
The Legislature’s Education Committee unanimously endorsed the plan, including it in the biennial budget being sent to the Appropriations Committee.
The system has a five-year $275 million capital investment plan that calls for a mix of renovations, demolition and new construction, and significant upgrades to technology in the classrooms and labs.
LePage’s proposal asks for the Maine Governmental Facilities Authority to be given permission to issue as much as $100 million in bonds for the costs. The authority can issue bonding after a majority vote of the authority’s board and a two-thirds vote in each house of the Legislature. Voter approval is not needed.
LePage included the funding because the system has significant deferred maintenance, said Adrienne Bennett, his spokeswoman.
“Governor LePage supports efforts to reduce the footprint and make these investments which will save costs in the future,” she said.
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