The Maryland General Assembly last week adopted a $22.4 billion operating budget for FY 2004, which includes $10.5 billion in general funds. Among the provisions of interest to the university are the following:

The governor allocated $4.59 million for the Johns Hopkins Institutions Cigarette Restitution Fund programs that include a cancer research grant and a public health grant to provide a prostate cancer education, screening, prevention and treatment initiative in Baltimore City. The funding will be at approximately the same level as the FY 2003 appropriation.

The capital budget includes $5 million for the Broadway Research Building on the East Baltimore campus, which represents the final funding for this project. Over the past four years, the state has authorized $23.8 million for this $140 million project.

Johns Hopkins will receive the final $2.15 million in capital funding for the construction of the New Chemistry Building on the Homewood campus. Johns Hopkins received $425,000 during the 2002 session, and the $2.15 million completes the funding of the project for a total state grant of $2.575 million.

The budget includes $32.8 million for the Sellinger Aid program, which reflects a 25 percent reduction from the governor's proposed budget. For Johns Hopkins, this represents a $4.4 million cut for a total appropriation of $13.2 million. The final outcome on this issue is still unclear, however, because the state may need to make additional cuts in spending to balance the 2004 budget. The Board of Public Works may reduce a program line item by 25 percent from the legislative appropriation. It therefore could reduce Sellinger Aid by an additional $8.2 million, reducing funding to Johns Hopkins by roughly $3.3 million, for a total FY 2004 appropriation of $9.9 million.