La Crosse state Rep. Billings ecstatic, as UW-L set to receive $194 million for science center in state budget

If you’re wondering if a state legislator cares about their district and some of the needs it has, look no further than La Crosse Assembly Rep. Jill Billings over the past 12 hours.

After seven years, it looks as though UW-La Crosse will finally get funding for the second phase of the Prairie Springs Science Center. The announcement comes almost exactly one year after Dr. James Beeby became UW-L’s chancellor.

Billings heard the news that Prairie Springs was going to be included in the state budget Monday night and was ready to celebrate — almost.

“When I found out, I put a bottle of champagne in the freezer,” Billings said. “And then I took it out, because I’m like, ‘Let’s get real. You’re not going to drink champagne tonight. You have to finish your yard work and you’ve gotta walk your dog.’

“So, it’s like, there’s no time for celebrating. And I’m not going to celebrate until the governor signs the bill.”

As the Legislature finalizes the budget to put on Gov. Tony Evers’ desk, UW-La Crosse appears to have $194 million for Prairie Springs, as part of an $840 million package for UW campus capital projects.

While Billings couldn’t quite let herself pop the cork, she was excited to tell Beeby the good news.

“The chancellor and I have been texting over the last couple of weeks,” Billings said. “So, I texted him the information last night — asking him to keep it quiet — although I was quite sure he had probably heard already, because it’s hard to keep good news quiet. People want to share.”

Billings said Beeby was instrumental in campaigning for the Prairie Springs project to be completed.

“Chancellor Beeby worked really hard with Legislators on both sides of the aisle,” Billings said. “He’s well known in the capitol now, he’s well liked in the capitol. And that’s been very helpful. So, I think that has been something that’s different this time around.

“Also, I think that the amount increase in expense on that building — every time that’s put aside — that really resonates with people who are more fiscally conservative and they understand we just have to get it done.”

Billings is on the Wisconsin State Building Commission and chairs the higher education subcommittee on that commission. She’s been pushing for this since former Gov. Scott Walker split the project in two.

Since that time, the price tag for Phase 2 of Prairie Springs has jumped from around $90 million to around $200 million.