The Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee's decision could cloud tonight's state Department of Public Works public hearing on environmental and traffic studies related to consolidating the college at the Mohegan campus on Mahan Drive. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at the Mohegan campus.

"(The vote) means they don't get started on building a college this year," said state Rep. Jack Malone, D-Norwich, a member of the committee and an opponent of the consolidation at the Mahan campus, which is near his home. "It's a major setback."

But the Rev. David Cannon of Preston, a member of the Community Colleges Board of Trustees, said the project continues to move forward.

"It really isn't important that the money be allocated right now, because we're not ready for it yet, so it makes no point in allocating it now," Cannon said. "The architects are working on the plan and we would like to have this out to bid by summer or by the fall at the latest. I don't know that it's been delayed."

The state has proposed merging the Mohegan and Thames Valley campuses into one united college on Mahan Drive, although there is neighborhood opposition and a movement to put the college downtown.

Opponents of the expansion plan are expected to turn out in force at tonight's hearing. "I would be surprised if they don't," Cannon said.

So far, $7 million has been allocated for the planning and design work. Cannon said that funding should be sufficient to accomplish that phase of the project. But Malone questioned whether the $7 million would be sufficient and with no further money authorized, the project could be in jeopardy if additional funding is needed to complete the design and planning phases.

Cannon said his only fear is the project might be delayed by legal action. He said a court injunction stopping the project could result in Norwich losing all the money for the project, essentially forcing the board to begin the entire process over.

Malone admits that the omission of the funding does not resolve the controversy over where the college should be built. And he acknowledges the money could be restored during upcoming budget negotiations.

Gov. John G. Rowland has threatened to veto the Democratic budget proposal adopted by the Finance and Appropriations committees. If he does, his office and legislative leaders will begin work on a compromise budget proposal.

Funding for the first phase of construction could be added to the following fiscal year's budget.

The school's consolidation has been the subject of controversy for several years. It began when the board of trustees first proposed relocating the school to the former Norwich Hospital property on Route 12 in Preston and then continued through a long battle to have the school put in downtown Norwich.

Rowland ended the debate over where the college would be built last year when he announced Mahan Drive was the preferred site. That decision, however, sparked a new controversy as residents living in the area objected, citing environmental and traffic issues.

"Those issues are addressed in the DPW report which is the reason for the hearing (tonight)," Cannon said. "The report says the water problem can be mitigated and that the traffic problem is going to be there whether we build there or not. The people who live there aren't going to accept that, we know that."