New stem cell labs now in question, After defeat of more funding, Corzine weighs options

star ledger ^ | November 15, 2007 | JOSH MARGOLIN AND DUNSTAN McNICHOL

[Coleus]

Gov. Jon Corzine may shelve construction of four of the five stem cell research labs lawmakers authorized last year, according to a senior administration official. With the state's stem cell ambitions cooled by last week's defeat of a $450 million bond question to fund the research, Corzine himself would only say he is "reviewing" the lab construction program the Legislature approved separately.

Under legislation passed last year, the state is authorized to borrow up to $270 million to build five stem cell research labs across the state. The centerpiece, a $150 million Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey in New Brunswick, is still on track to move forward. But Corzine is considering suspending plans to build four smaller labs in Newark, Camden, Belleville and Allendale, said the administration source.

Corzine is also exploring the prospect of using the $120 million earmarked for the construction of the smaller labs to fund the research that was to have been paid for by last week's defeated referendum, according to the senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because no final decision has been made. "I will review the overall structure and see what kind of recommendations we should be making," Corzine said in an interview late Tuesday evening. "I'm going to review this very carefully."

Critics of the project say that since voters rejected the plans to raise funds for stem cell research, any stem cell labs the state builds could end up standing empty -- much like a $110 million cancer center in Newark that lacks operating funds. "I'm very aware of the cancer institute building," Corzine said. Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex), said he would support either option, and suggested Corzine might be able to redirect the construction funds to research through an executive order.

[bajabaja]

Sounds like Corzine has friends in the Jerzey construction industry. Build it and they will come?

[Williams]

Oh, so I paid for a $110 million empty building. Plus I hear reliably of state workers playing video games all day. But let’s pass some more bond issues and build those stem cell labs! Oy.

[SuziQ]

"I'm very aware of the cancer institute building," Corzine said

The goober should use the non-operating Cancer institute building for the stem cell research, and he'd save the NJ taxpayers a LOT of money. Interesting that the LEGISLATURE voted to fund the first building, but when it was given to the taxpayers themselves to decide on the rest of the funding, they rejected it!