KASUNIC & METZGAR WIN RELEASE OF STATE DOLLARS
FOR ALLEGANY COLLEGE

                  HARRISBURG, February 9, 2010—State Senator Rich Kasunic (D-Somerset/Fayette) along with State Representative Carl Metzgar (R-Somerset) today announced that they have successfully managed to release funding for Allegany College of Maryland and its Somerset/Bedford campuses that had been held in the state’s budgetary reserve.

In an attempt to limit a potential state deficit, the Rendell Administration announced in January that it had pulled the school’s funding and placed it in budgetary reserve.  Kasunic and Metzgar worked closely with administration officials to release $585,000 – 90 percent of the school’s state funding.  Kasunic and Metzgar stressed to the Rendell Administration the importance of the higher-education facility to the region and the fact that these funds go directly to tuition subsidies for the local students.

“I am pleased to have played a role in releasing these dollars.  For over 20 years Allegany College has provided Somerset County residents with a quality higher education option, and these state dollars ease the tuition cost so that more residents are able to pursue a degree,” Kasunic said.

Metzgar added, “These state dollars play a critical role in ensuring that Somerset county residents can continue to benefit from the excellent educational resource that Allegany College offers the community.”

Kasunic and Metzgar said they will again work together to obtain funding for the school in this year’s budget.

# # #

CONTACT: CHARLES M. TOCCI

PHONE:   717-787-5166