Five prominent Los Angeles civic leaders have announced their commitment to lead the campaign to win voter approval of a $3.3 billion ballot measure to fund a building program for the Los Angeles Community College District through the sale of general obligation bonds.

The District Board of Trustees voted last week to place the bond measure on the Nov. 8 ballot.

“We absolutely need college facilities that are equipped to train students, dislocated workers and military veterans for the jobs of the future,” said Charles Woo.

The businessman who co-chairs the Coalition for College Success, was describing the need for an ambitious building program.

“Many of the buildings, classrooms, science labs and job training equipment at Los Angeles community colleges are deteriorated and outdated ,” Mr. Woo said.

“One-third were built more than 40 years ago.”

Labor leader Richard Slawson said the Community College District’s facilities need more than a facelift.

“They need significant infrastructure upgrades to keep pace with enrollment growth,” said the co-chair of the coalition.

“Our campuses have been educating more than 200,000 students a year. That has taken a heavy toll.”

With nine campuses, Los Angeles has the nation’s largest community college system.

Latino and African-American students make up 82 percent of the District’s student body of 225,000.

Further, 51.8 percent of students come from households with an income of less than $29,000 a year, and 53.4 percent of students work.

The bond measure requires a 55 percent vote to be approved.  If endorsed, bond fund expenditures will be audited annually. The spending program will be monitored by an independent seven-member oversight panel. One of the panel members must be from a bona fide taxpayer group. The oversight committee’s proceedings will be open to the public.

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Mr. Schwada may be contacted at john.schwada@gmail.com