There is no money for NIU’s Rockford expansion in the governor’s budget recommendations, but NIU officials aren’t surprised or worried.

“I think eventually the building will be built,” NIU President John La Tourette said. “I can’t really promise you when.”

La Tourette’s calmness is almost like deja vu. Although it seems NIU takes two steps backward for each step forward in the Rockford drama, La Tourette said he is confident NIU will offer classes in Rockford no later than 1994.

“We have gone through the legislature twice for the $500,000 (for site money). We have had Gov. Thompson release the money. And now we have a commitment from Gov. Edgar to release the money. And release of the $500,000 is in a sense a commitment for construction. I think it is all a matter of timing,” La Tourette said.

The timing for the $5.1 million expansion is in limbo along with another $700 million in construction requests across the state. Edgar froze the funds to help ease the state’s financial woes and calm nervous credit ratings.

But that timing gives inflation a chance to eat away at the Rockford project’s budget.

“The longer you wait, the greater the cost of the building or the less of the building you get,” La Tourette said.

Also, as time goes by, the chances increase that the 10 acres of land donated by Lobdell, Hall & Andrews Inc.—worth about $10 million developed—might slip away, he said.

Before that time slips away, La Tourette said NIU will work closely with Sen. Joyce Holmberg, D-Rockford, in getting the legislature to look favorably on the project.

“Through (Holmberg), I think we will learn as to whether or not the governor will release the money and hopefully when he will release the money and if the funds need to be reappropriated,” La Tourette said. “She would introduce the appropriate legislation to appropriate the money” if needed, he said.

The odds of that legislation getting passed, either during this legislative session ending June 30 or during the next fiscal year, might hinge upon political vote trading.

“I think it will all depend upon other projects that probably have more significance in the state, particularly capital projects that might involve the city of Chicago,” La Tourette said. “We have to recognize that legislative packages are put together and sometimes they consist of critical projects that have been planned and are needed across the state.”