HONOLULU — State Sen. Roz Baker said Monday she will keep a $20 million appropriation intact for the development of a Kihei high school, The Maui News reported.

Her promise came after the state House had let lapse the $20 million appropriation in its version of the 2008 supplemental budget bills earlier this month. The Kihei high school money initially had been approved in last year's biennium budget.

Baker, who represents the South Maui and West Maui districts, said she's been advocating for a Kihei high school and has supported budget allocations to develop it for at least four years.

She said the Legislature authorized a $5.5 million appropriation during the 2004 legislative session for the high school plans and design, and then an additional $7.3 million in 2006 for plans, land acquisition and design.

The most recent legislative appropriation for $20 million was approved during the 2007 session and was directed toward land acquisition, an environmental assessment and permits.

Altogether, the state Department of Education's latest estimate for a contract to design and build the school hovers at $134 million.

State Rep. Joe Bertram, who represents the 11th House District of South Maui, said he was glad to hear of Baker's intention to fight for the Kihei high school funding. The freshman representative expressed confidence that Baker, the Senate Ways and Means Committee chairwoman, would succeed.

"She's a powerful woman," Bertram said. "If you have her on your side, she's a great friend."

Both Bertram and Baker said they believed the House may have let the $20 million lapse in response to a call from House leadership to draft a balanced budget. But the Kihei high school funding can't be dropped out of this year's budget unless the House and Senate agree, Baker said.

"They can't dump it without our agreement, and we're not going to agree to dumping it," Baker said Monday. The filing deadline for bills under review in a nonoriginating legislative body is April 4. Following that, a conference committee with representatives from both the House and the Senate will make decisions on what bills and appropriations will be approved.

The Legislature is scheduled to close May 1.

Bertram said he's going to do what he can to talk to House Finance Committee Chairman Marcus Oshiro about South Maui's need for a high school campus, and try to get his support for the $20 million appropriation. Oshiro's district covers Wahiawa, Whitmore Village and Poamoho on O'ahu.

While South Maui is home to the Kihei Public Charter High School, the majority of the area high schoolers travel to Central Maui to attend either Baldwin High School or Maui High School, which both have enrollments exceeding their campus capacities.

Residents from Kihei to Makena have been lobbying for a high school for more than a decade, saying the high-growth community deserves one and that its development would help alleviate overcrowding in other public high schools. The state Department of Education said it is continuing its efforts to get the Kihei high school built no later than 2012.

Department officials announced last November a decision to build the school on a private parcel north of the Elleair Golf Course in Kihei. The site known as Piilani Makai Hybrid is located mauka of Pi'ilani Highway at the Kulanihakoi Street intersection. Portions of the selected site are owned by Haleakala Ranch and Kaonolu Ranch, both of which have indicated interest in selling the property for the new school.

Sanford Beppu, administrator of DOE's Planning Section, said Monday his office has been talking with the two landowners about a possible purchase.

In addition, the DOE is preparing a request for proposals to design and build the high school facilities on a new campus. The call for bids should be issued by the end of this year, according to Beppu.

The DOE also plans to set up a meeting with community residents and other stakeholders in the school to discuss the high school development. A date for the meeting has not been set.

The DOE already has spent about $700,000 on design for the high school site. The money was taken out of the $5.5 million originally appropriated in 2004.

Beppu said the leftover funds from the 2004 appropriation and the 2006 appropriation of $7.3 million should cover the rest of the estimated design costs.

He said the $20 million currently at issue could be used for the land acquisition. He said the DOE has options to trade property or arrange for some sort of developer credit, but current talks show that the state agency most likely will have to buy the property.

"For now, it looks like a land purchase," Beppu said.

For more Maui news, visit http://www.mauinews.com/default.aspx">The Maui News.