In a plan to increase funding for California community colleges, Lieutenant Governor Gray Davis announced in February 1998 his intention to continue lowering fees, provide better teacher compensation, and strengthen relations between community colleges and the private sector. Davis intends to diminish student financial barriers to college by lowering or freezing tuition; in 1997 he sponsored the College Affordability Act, which cut per-unit costs from $13 to $12. He also plans to increase the number of full-time instructors and improve benefits for existing part-time teachers to promote a stable faculty capable of providing quality education. Finally, Davis will continue establishing relations between the business sector and community colleges, increasing placement opportunities for students entering the job market. Once funded, Davis' plan will improve, especially financially, the California community college system, which receives less government support than any other college system in the nation. (YKH)