Gov. Gary Locke has vetoed a controversial proposal that would have allowed private colleges in Washington State to receive state aid for students enrolling in high-demand programs.

The provision was part of the Legislature's supplemental budget for 2004-5, which included $17-million for about 3,000 new enrollment slots at colleges in the state. One-third of the slots were set aside for high-demand fields like information technology, nursing, and engineering. While Governor Locke, a Democrat, approved the enrollment funds last week, he used his line-item veto authority to delete language that said private colleges could compete for the money.

The governor said the state must "carefully consider all options" before agreeing to provide tax dollars to private institutions. Public colleges in the state now serve about 18,000 more full-time students than the state provides money to support. A recent study by private colleges found that the 10 largest private institutions in the state could take 10,000 additional students by 2010.

To help serve more students, last week the governor also approved a $111-million supplemental construction budget for public colleges.

"Our leaders must continue to find ways to accommodate more and more college and university students," the governor said in a statement. "Our kids' futures and our economy depend on it."