State Building Commission Approves $380 Million for Next Ten Years
Governor Jim Doyle released the following statement today regarding the State Building Commission’s seven-to-one vote this afternoon to approve $380 million in funding for the next ten years for the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, part of his Capital Budget. This includes $19 million, which is the state’s commitment to the project’s first phase and represents a down-payment in the ten-year project. About 50 percent of the $380 million total will come from privately-raised donations, with the balance funded by the state. The Building Commission’s vote for funding now goes to the full Legislature for approval.
“I applaud the Building Commission’s strong, bipartisan approval of funding for this important initiative. The Wisconsin Institute for Discovery is a key component of my Biotech Initiative and the Building Commission’s approval ensures that Wisconsin will continue to remain at the forefront of biotech and biomedical research.
“The Institute will serve as a dynamic, interactive hub that fosters collaborative research throughout the UW System, bringing together engineers, biologists, chemists, statisticians, informatics researchers, and medical scientists who will all have access to the latest technologies and research support.
“These important investments we’re making in biotech are not only important for Milwaukee and Madison, but will benefit our whole state. Wisconsin is competing as a state and as a region to capture the growing biotechnology industry. Every investment we make, every success that we have, translates into more good-paying job opportunities for Wisconsin residents and helps to grow our economy. This is a victory for all of Wisconsin, and I encourage the full Legislature to follow the Building Commission’s example and give the final approval for this important project.”
Contact:
Ethnie Groves, Office of the Governor, 608-261-2156
