NWAOnline’s Legislative Coverage

The state General Improvement Fund is a pot of money that’s divided every year into capital improvement projects, such as new buildings for state colleges and universities.

The final list of projects came out today. Handle with care, though. “Appropriation” bills mean little. They grant authority to spend. Funding those appropriations — actually handing some money — means everything.

So let’s cut to the chase here: These are NW Arkansas projects where we can have some real confidence in getting funded:

$75,000 for a grant to the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission for a feasibility study of the Western Beltway.

$605,000 to Northwest Arkansas Community College for a variety of projects ranging from “energy conserving critical maintenance” to library resources.

$368,000 to Northwest Technical Institute, mainly for construction and renovations.

$2.97 million for the University of Arkansas, including $600,000 for the Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, $350,000 for mapping facilities and projects, and $500,000 for renovation and other expenses at the School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts.

Add another $100,000 to the University of Arkansas for personal services and operating expenses, capital outlay and professional fees for recycling and green initiatives. That one was hiding in a state Department of Finance and Administration item.

The region will get a sizable chunk of money given to statewide grants for economic development and health too. Still, lawmakers from every region had a lot more wishes than money.