Voters to decide on nearly $500 million bond for Lone Star College

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- It's just days until the November 4 election. In addition to the race for governor and lieutenant governor, there's also a nearly $500 million bond for the Lone Star College System.

Lone Star has had so much growth that the multi-campus educator in Harris and Montgomery counties wants voters to approve a $485 million bond.

Ray Laughter, Vice Chancellor for External Affairs at Lone Star College, said, "We've added 44,000 residents in our college service area per year for the last five years and they expect that to continue to grow."

Lone Star has six colleges and seven centers, plus 8,000 dual credit students in area high schools.

Much of the bond money would be used to meet a growing need for skilled workers. Lone Star says there will be no tax increase associated with the bond - a program that failed 18 months ago. At that time, the Texas Patriots PAC opposed the measure. This time around they're actually backing it, in part because of transparency and in part because of the new emphasis on workplace training. There is, in fact, no organized opposition to the bond plan.