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By Andrew M. Seder aseder@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
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Gov. Ed Rendell’s announcement that the area’s soon-to-open medical college would lose its $5 million state funding next year in the midst of tough budget cuts has been met with disappointment and surprise from the school’s dean.

The Commonwealth Medical College’s president and dean, Dr. Robert D’Alessandri, said the loss of funding will not delay the fall opening of the school or the construction of the $115 million medical sciences building on Pine Street in Scranton.

The school is interviewing prospective students who will comprise the inaugural class of 60 this August. D’Alessandri said there’s nearly enough funding in place to fulfill the school’s promise of offering $20,000 per year scholarships for those 60 students. But he said the loss of $5 million in funding will obviously be felt.

D’Alessandri said that money was slated for faculty salaries and instructional materials, which now will have to come from an undetermined funding source. He called Rendell’s decision “shortsighted” and said that while he understands the tough economic decisions the governor faces, he doesn’t believe the medical college was the best option to target for a withdrawal of funding.

“I was disappointed,” D’Alessandri said. “I understand these are very difficult economic times; however, I feel The Commonwealth Medical College is so important to the state and our region in terms of economic development and its importance in terms of health care (that the decision was made in haste).”

He wasn’t the only one to echo those sentiments.

Robert Mellow, D-Peckville, the Democratic leader in the state Senate, also had harsh words for the governor, a fellow Democrat.

“While I do not dispute the need to make substantive government spending cuts in these very difficult economic times, the governor’s budget proposal would hurt the most vulnerable among us and curtail promising economic growth opportunities,” Mellow said in a release. He made it a point to mention that the governor did not seek local input about the proposed cuts.

The college is projected to add 425 practicing physicians to Northeastern Pennsylvania during the next 20 years, according to information provided by the college. In addition, the new medical school is expected to add $70 million to the local economy once it is open and create 1,000 new jobs that directly and indirectly support the school’s operations.

Mellow’s district includes portions of Luzerne and Monroe counties and all of Lackawanna. All three counties, along with 13 others, are located in the college’s service area and house hospitals that could benefit from the infusion of doctors.

State Rep. Jim Wansacz, D-Old Forge, called the college “an economic opportunity. It’s going to help us with our health-care situation throughout Northeast Pennsylvania.”

Wansacz said he couldn’t guarantee that some of the $5 million wouldn’t be placed back in the budget but said he would fight for it.

“I’d say we have a good shot to get maybe not all of it, but at least some of it back in the budget,” Wansacz said. He added, “I’ve been here long enough to know the governor’s budget is just a proposal.”

The proposed funding cut comes less than two weeks after the school received two financial gifts -- $1.5 million from Swiftwater-based vaccine maker Sanofi Pasteur and $80,000 from Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg to establish a student scholarship.

Previously, the school secured pledges of $25 million from Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania, and $400,000 from both the Scranton Area Foundation and the Margaret Briggs Foundation.

Andrew M. Seder, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 570-829-7269.