Simplot Chides State About Micron Billionaire Offers To Help State Of Idaho Fund Engineering School

Billionaire J.R. Simplot scolded Idaho legislators Monday for their failure to build a full-fledged engineering school to help keep Micron Semiconductor Inc. from expanding elsewhere.

The powerful businessman, who happens to be Micron’s largest shareholder, added that he’s willing to put his money where his mouth is. Simplot tentatively offered to match any money put up by the state to establish a separate school of engineering in Boise.

Simplot requested the special audience with legislative leaders, who met with him in a packed committee room. Legislative protocol prevented them from using the House or Senate chambers.

The matching offer would even apply to moving the current engineering school from the University of Idaho in Moscow to the Boise area, a notion that North Idaho legislators found unappealing.

Simplot wouldn’t put a cap on his willingness to go in half with the state. Legislative estimates for starting an engineering school have ranged from tens of millions to several hundred million dollars.

The lack of engineering education near Boise may have played a crucial role in Micron’s decision to ignore four Idaho sites and locate its $1.3 billion expansion in either Utah, Oklahoma or Nebraska. Simplot admonished the Legislature for “ignoring Micron’s needs” in the bidding war for the expansion.

“We need to do this so that we don’t lose the next (fabulous) plant,” Simplot said.

Boise built a technology center about five years ago, funded by donations from Simplot and other business leaders, to help train Micron engineers. But Simplot said the center “hasn’t done a damn thing.”

Simplot hinted that some who want to change Micron’s mind may be trying to secure commitments for local incentives for a last-minute pitch to Micron, but later said he knew nothing about the Micron board of directors’ intentions. Simplot is a longtime Micron board member.

But Micron spokeswoman Julie Nash said the company’s short list of Oklahoma City; Omaha, Neb., and the Utah County area remains final.

Commerce Secretary Jim Hawkins has said repeatedly that Idaho has done all that it will to entice Micron. Gov. Phil Batt last week did squeeze $2 million from this year’s budget for nearly 20 new engineering faculty next year as part of the University of Idaho’s cooperative engineering program with Boise State University.

But Simplot said those new faculty wouldn’t be nearly enough.

Sen. Gordon Crow, R-Coeur d’Alene, said that Simplot’s insisting that all engineering education efforts be focused in Boise isn’t anything new.

“I think he needs to get around to the other state around here called North Idaho,”he said.