By Susan Winlow

Positive is a word that doesn’t come up often after the release of the state budget from the governor’s office.

But for the local community college district, things are looking up with the proposed budget that offers $800 million in ongoing funding and $300 million in one-time money.

Funding components include $200 million for student success programs and equity plans; $125 million to increase base allocation funding in order to ease constrained discretionary funding, which can help colleges address increased employee retirement rates; $106.9 million earmarked to increase access to about 45,000 students; and $92.4 million in a cost-of-living adjustment that translates to 1.58 percent, compared to 0.85 percent last year.

via Officials: Community colleges look good in proposed state budget Daily Republic.