UCLA, one of the largest higher education institutions in California, would receive $24.9 million to rebuild an engineering building with the passage of Proposition 47 on the Nov. 5 election ballot.

The $13 billion ballot measure, Kindergarten-University Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 2002, is a general obligation bond measure that provides $1.65 billion to be shared by the University of California, California State University and California Community Colleges. Assembly Bill 16, signed by Gov. Gray Davis, also authorizes another bond measure in March 2004 that would provide another $2.3 billion for the three segments of higher education. A bond measure approved by voters in 1998 provided about $75.4 million to increase safety and modernize several buildings at UCLA.

“UCLA and all California public higher education institutions must ensure that students and faculty are provided with safe and modern facilities,� UCLA Chancellor Albert Carnesale said. “If the bond measure is approved, UCLA will be able to make critical safety and seismic upgrades to aging facilities.�

UCLA would receive $24.9 million for the Engineering 1 Seismic Mitigation project if the measure on the November ballot were approved. The building poses a serious seismic safety hazard that will be eased by a phased demolition and replacement of the existing building with a new, modern laboratory building supporting the needs of programs in engineering.

The state funds for this project are limited to what would be required for seismic correction of the existing building and mandatory code upgrades triggered by that structural work; supplemental funds raised by the campus will be used to pay the full cost of constructing the new engineering facility. The existing Engineering 1 Building houses instruction, research and support programs of the departments of Chemical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Material Sciences and Engineering.

General obligation bonds, such as Proposition 47, are a form of long-term financing that states use for major construction projects such as schools, water systems, prisons and parks. Bonds enable the state to borrow money and pay it back from the General Fund. They do not affect property taxes.

A general obligation bond approved in 1998 helped UCLA increase safety and modernize facilities in several areas. Proposition 1A, a $9.2 billion bond for K-12 and higher education, provided about $75.4 million for seismic upgrades and construction at UCLA.

For example, nearly $23.8 million is being used for construction of a health sciences building, with occupancy expected in spring quarter 2004. The building is a new research laboratory facility of approximately 133,000 gross square feet that will allow for the relocation of existing neuroscience research programs currently located in the Neuropsychiatric Institute, which was structurally damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the Brain Research Institute and the Reed Neurological Research Center facilities.

About $29.7 million is being used for another health sciences building housing new laboratories that will allow for the relocation of existing research programs in microbiology, immunology, AIDS and biological chemistry currently located in the Center for Health Sciences, which also was structurally damaged in the Northridge earthquake. Construction is expected to begin in March 2003 and be completed in summer 2005.

More than $4 million was used for a campus high-rise fire safety project to install new fire alarm and sprinkler systems in Bunche Hall, the Molecular Biology Institute and Franz Hall. Construction began in October 1999 and was completed in December 2001.

About $14 million of the bond funds are part of the $34.6 million being used to renovate Glorya Kaufman Hall, formerly known as the Dance Building. In addition to seismic upgrades, other repairs and a theater addition are part of the renovations, which began in May and are expected to be completed in May 2004.

Funds for working drawings for seismic upgrades to Kinsey Hall — $805,000 — also came from Proposition 1A. The building will be converted from a physical science laboratory building to a humanities office and classroom facility.

In addition, $370,000 from Proposition 1A was earmarked for a nearly $6.6 million upgrade of the campus electrical system.

The bond measure has been endorsed by prominent individuals, and public and private agencies and associations, including the University of California Board of Regents, Trustees of the California State University, Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, California State PTA, California Teachers Association, California Taxpayers’ Association, California Chamber of Commerce, League of Women Voters of California and the Congress of California Seniors.

The ballot pamphlet argument opposing Proposition 47 was signed by state Sen. Pete Knight (R-Palmdale); Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association; and Lewis K. Uhler, president of the National Tax Limitation Committee.