Lawmakers pressure budget officials as new Simon Sanchez High School lacks $16.3 million appropriation

Senator Duenas, chairman of the Committee on Finance, pressed budget staff on the absence of a $16,300,000 appropriation for Simon Sanchez High School during an August committee hearing, asking whether the administration and the legislature had funds in place for debt service and to mitigate rising construction costs.

"The way that the law is written, Senator, it it allows basically the administration to solicit, for financing, for the construction, furniture and fixture and equipment, and for the insurance maintenance of the construction at the Simon Sant'an High School. Yes. For the total amount of a $166,365,000," Director Guerrero said, describing the statutory authorization Congress and the local law provide for the project.

Why it matters: lawmakers and school stakeholders have expected the project to move to market after Public Law 37-22 established the authorization. Without a legislative appropriation for the specific $16.3 million identified for debt-service or related mitigation, senators warned the project could face higher financing costs as construction prices rise.

Budget office and administration responses

Director Guerrero told the committee that the project has statutory authorization but that the current Executive Budget Request did not include a specific appropriation of…