Huntsman backs plan for research campuses

With the big boost in anticipated state tax revenues for this year and next, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. is climbing aboard a new $14 million proposal to build ultra-high technology/medical research and business-development operations at the University of Utah and Utah State University.

Nicknamed STAR — the Science, Technology and Research project — the plan is to build five new buildings at the U. and USU and then fund ongoing efforts to hire top-flight people to "conduct research and development and to purchase equipment and supplies," says a summary of SB192, sponsored by Sen. Al Mansell, R-Sandy.

While Huntsman is on board with the project, says his spokeswoman Tammy Kikuchi, he was not aboard the Huntsman Corp. jet last December when a group of legislative and Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce leaders flew down to Arizona State University to look at similar high-tech research facilities there. Mansell, the former Senate president, also didn't go on the trip.

"Arizona last year, while in a state budget deficit, still put up $600 million for such research," said chamber president and CEO Lane Beattie, a former Utah Senate president.

The Utah Legislature has to step up to put big money into high-tech research here, or the U., USU and other research universities could lose valuable scientists and researchers, along with the $500 million a year they bring the state in grants and other programs, Beattie said.

"We can't build a growing, vibrant economy anymore on agriculture or mining. We can't do it with call centers. High technology research is the way," said Beattie, who added the chamber studied the issue for 18 months before advocating SB192.

The $14 million is just a start. "We have to be back for more" cash in future years, said Beattie, but the state could use revenue bonds and other strategies to grow research facilities without impacting ongoing state tax dollars.

Kikuchi said the governor, who left a top management position at Huntsman Chemical when he took office in January, did not arrange for the leaders to use the Huntsman family corporate airplane.

"That was done totally by us, with the help of (Jon) Huntsman Sr., who has helped the chamber in other areas," said Beattie.

In any case, when the governor and legislative leaders found out Monday that there was more than $100 million additional coming in one-time surpluses in this year's budget and next year's anticipated revenue take, STAR moved up on Huntsman's to-do list, several legislators said Wednesday.