OKLAHOMA CITY — State political leaders reacted coolly Friday to calls by University of Oklahoma President David Boren to tap into Oklahoma's Rainy Day fund to prop up Oklahoma's colleges and universities.

Faced with a projected drop in state revenue of $309 million next year, Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate joined a spokesman for Gov. Brad Henry in saying the constitutional reserve fund should be preserved for what could be additional economic hardships.

"With the uncertain economic conditions and potentially tougher times ahead, Governor Henry thinks it makes sense to conserve state resources for the future," said Henry's communications director, Paul Sund.

Last month, the state Regents for Higher Education promised not to raise student tuition and fees at the state's 25 colleges and universities if the Legislature authorized $80.4 million in operational needs and other fixed costs for fuel, energy and retirement expenses.

Higher education's proposed $1.18 billion budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 is an 8.35 percent increase over the current year's budget.

Boren, a former governor and U.S. senator, said dipping into the state's Rainy Day fund would at least maintain the appropriations level for higher education.

"This fund, which has approximately $600 million in it, was set up to help meet financial emergencies like this one," he said.

But lawmakers expressed skepticism about the idea. The 2009 Oklahoma Legislature convenes on Feb. 2.

"We have to be very cautious about the Rainy Day decision," said Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City. Echoing the governor, Coffee said there is still uncertainty about how long the national economic downturn will last and how deeply it will be felt in Oklahoma.

"We may very well need those dollars for the next fiscal year's budgeting crisis," Coffee said. State financial officials have said the projected decline in state revenue is due to falling energy prices and a faltering national economy.

Senate Democratic Leader Charlie Laster of Shawnee indicated he also is opposed to tapping the reserve fund.

"The governor's made it clear he's going to be very slow to tap the Rainy Day Fund. I think that's where I am on the issue," Laster said. "But I certainly won't close mind to the idea to what constitutes a Rainy Day."

Sund said Henry is sympathetic to the concerns of higher education as well as keeping tuition affordable and wants to discuss the issues in detail with Boren.

"However, as he has stated repeatedly, the governor does not plan to tap the Rainy Day fund to balance the state budget," Sund said. "It is far too early to speculate about what revenue actions will be needed since the state will not receive it's final budget estimate until February."

Coffee said higher education institutions should meet their budgeting challenges by cutting costs rather than tapping into the Rainy Day fund.

Higher education Chancellor Glen Johnson plans to travel across the state next month to make his case for the investment in the state's colleges.

State regents came under harsh criticism in early December when they approved a 5 percent increase in Johnson's $286,650 salary and a one-time $10,000 bonus.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.