During their regular meeting this month, UC regents endorsed the facilities bond act of 2004 that, if ratified by California voters in March, would pave the way for some $113 million in facility improvements at UC Davis and billions more in improvements to public schools across the state.

The bond act, known as Proposition 55, is the second half of a two-part statewide bond package approved by the Legislature for funding K-12 and higher education facility needs during the next four years.

In 2002, California voters approved the first half of the measure, Proposition 47. It provided $13 billion to construction and repair projects, including state-supported capital projects at UC. The proposition passed with 59 percent of the vote. Specifically, it authorized some $11.4 billion for K-12 and $1.65 billion for higher education capital projects.

Proposition 55, also known as the Kindergarten-University Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 2004, will provide $12.3 billion in bonds to further fund state-supported capital projects -- including $10 billion for K-12 and $2.3 billion for higher education. The 2004 bond would provide $1.15 billion each year for two years.

In all, the legislation which placed both bond measures on the ballot (AB 16) authorizes a total of $27 billion in general obligation bond funds over four years to help fund K-12 and higher education facility needs.

UC would receive approximately $345 million per year for capital outlay for the four-year period covered by the two bond acts. The California State University and the California Community Colleges would also receive capital projects funding.

Over the next four years, UC's projected capital needs total $600 million per year; and the university expects enrollment growth of approximately 63,000 additional students between 2000-2010, according to the UC Office of the President.

Approximately $113 million is expected to be allocated to UC Davis over 2004-05 and 2005-06, if the 2004 bond act were to be passed by voters in March. It would provide:

• $32,135,000 toward the construction of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science. These state funds would be augmented by more than $20,000,000 in private gift funds donated by Robert Mondavi and $1,800,000 in other gift funds.

• $6,714,000 for seismic corrections to seven buildings rated seismically poor or very poor that house state-supported programs. Modifications would bring the following facilities to an acceptable level of safety during an earthquake: Academic Surge, Bainer Hall, the Architects and Engineers Barn, Briggs Hall, the Chemistry Building Lecture Hall, Veterinary Medicine Unit 2, and the Telecommunications Building.

• $3,471,000 for the Campus Wastewater Treatment Plant, which treats all the sanitary sewer effluent from the campus. Campus growth projections indicate that the plant will reach capacity in 2006-07 and must be expanded to support the growing campus infrastructure.

• $3,435,000 for Phase 2 of the Life Sciences alterations. This project will renovate space in Hutchison Hall to provide a modern research laboratory, lab support and office space for programs in the agricultural and environmental sciences.

• $2,235,000 for planning funds in 2004-05 for a new Physical Sciences Expansion project that will provide additional instructional and research space for the Departments of Physics, Chemistry and Geology and will address space needs related to recent and projected growth in these programs. Working drawing and construction funds of $42,448,000 are proposed in 2005-06.

• $12,850,000 (in 2005-06) to expand the campus chilled water system so it can serve new buildings. The system maintains appropriate building temperatures and provides chilled water to campus laboratories.

• $6,090,000 (in 2005-06) for campus electrical improvements. Campus demand is expected to exceed capacity by 2006-07. This project will provide a new electrical substation to serve the Health Sciences District as well as the west portion of campus.

• $946,000 (in 2005-06) for planning and working drawings for the Music Building. Construction funds of $9,734,000 are planned to be covered by a subsequent bond. This project will provide a combination classroom and recital hall facility, recital hall support space, and instructional and administrative space for the music department.

• $510,000 (in 2005-06) for planning funds to alter portions of Tupper Hall to better meet teaching and research needs of the School of Medicine. Future costs of $9,690,000 would be funded from a subsequent bond act.

• $979,000 (in 2005-06) for preliminary plans to alter and expand King Hall to better meet the needs of the law school. The existing facility was completed in 1967, and the building is considered no longer adequate to support the existing program and technology. Future costs of $18,591,000 would be funded from a subsequent bond act.

• $1,542,000 (in 2005-06) for planning funds for the School of Veterinary Medicine Vet Med 3B project, which will provide new space in the health sciences area of the campus to allow the school to consolidate its programs. Future state costs would be funded from a subsequent bond act.

A copy of Proposition 55 and ballot arguments is available at the Secretary of State's Proposition 55 Web page. Also available at the site are complete 2002 election returns and county-by-county results for Proposition 47.

Meanwhile, a new UC Web site on Proposition 55 features a fact sheet, Q&A and UC projects list as well as links to the Secretary of State and other proposition-related sites. It has been posted at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/prop55/.