Governor launches college bond plan

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Governor Brad Henry Thursday announced plans for a $500-million bond issue to improve campuses and classrooms at colleges across Oklahoma.<br/><br/>The governor said today that college

Thursday, January 13th 2005, 3:20 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Governor Brad Henry Thursday announced plans for a $500-million bond issue to improve campuses and classrooms at colleges across Oklahoma.

The governor said today that college infrastructures are crumbling, classrooms are overcrowded and that research at universities should be expanded.

Henry wants to pay for the program with money from an education lottery approved by state voters in November and he'll ask state lawmakers to pass the proposal soon after the legislative session begins February 7th.

The education lottery allows up to 45% of the money raised by the lottery to be used for capital improvements in higher education and other areas.

Henry says the program would include more than 100 projects at colleges and university in 36 different cities and would create about 4,000 construction jobs.