Governor Blunt Statement on Nixon's Plan to Withhold Funding from Higher Education

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

June 13, 2008

Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290


JEFFERSON CITY - Gov. Matt Blunt issued the following statement on Attorney General Jay Nixons plan to withhold the funding Missouri colleges and universities are receiving through the governors landmark Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative:

"Jay Nixon has always been opposed to every project funded by the Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative, and today he revealed his plan to withhold funding from Missouris college students.

"Last year, Missouri colleges and universities began receiving $335 million for state-of-the art learning centers through my Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative which will be distributed through 2013. Nixons options to discontinue the Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative funding include either changing the law to withhold the funding from our students or breaking state law by withholding funding from MOHELA to the state that by law should go to our colleges and universities.

"Nixons assertion that MOHELA doesnt have the money for the Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative is not true and would not be substantiated by the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority which will be providing this funding to the state to distribute to our colleges and universities through 2013."

To view a list of the college and university projects for which Nixon would withhold funding log on to http://www.ded.mo.gov/lcdi/lcdi03080707.pdf.