Michael Cohen of Gov. Jerry Browns Department of Finance

The Legislatures budget conference committee late Monday altered the funding mix for a school of medicine at UC Riverside, eliminating a $15 million augmentation but directing the UC system to allocate money to the school from its budget.

The compromise means the school will finally get the state money it has sought unsuccessfully since 2010. It effectively saves the state general fund $15 million. And most importantly, it has the support of the Brown administration, which did not include any money for the medical school in its January spending proposal or May revision.

That $15 million is within their existing appropriation rather than needing additional dollars, said Michael Cohen, the chief deputy director of Browns Department of Finance, said of UC during testimony to the Joint Legislative Budget Conference Committee.

UC is in line to receive an additional $125 million next year under budget language approved by both houses and included in the governors budget.

Amid the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, UC Riverside officials and local supporters have tried to secure an ongoing state contribution to the medical school.

Those efforts included seeking a $15 million augmentation from a Legislature that was considering deep cuts in health and welfare programs, or having UC allocate money from its own diminished budget.

The dynamic changed this year. State and UC finances are significantly better. Also, the Riverside-areas legislative delegation is more politically diverse following the November election of two Democrats, state Sen. Richard Roth and Assemblyman Jose Medina, who campaigned on getting money for the school.

Originally posted here:

MEDICAL SCHOOL: No new money but UC told to allocate