A $980 million bond issue for the nine- campus Los Angeles Community College District was victorious Tuesday as voters trickled to the polls in very low numbers.

Incumbent Mona Field also triumphed over challenger Joyce Burrell Garcia in a runoff for the college district's Board of Trustees.

Proposition AA, which needed approval from 55 percent of voters, was promoted as a companion to the $1.2 billion Proposition A bond issue voters approved two years ago.

"To me, it's a real affirmation of people's confidence in our colleges,' said LACCD Chancellor Mark Drummond. "These are difficult times with the state's budget crisis, but it seems to me people felt they could make a difference - you can't do much about the state's mess, but you can go out and vote for your local community college.'

"This will enable us to build out our master plans and will guarantee the citizens of Los Angeles County the finest set of colleges in the country in the next 10 years.'

District officials said the 2001 bond measure provided less than two-thirds of the money required for a six-year construction and renovation program.

East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park stands to receive about $150 million for building renovations under Proposition AA.

Officials said the funding would bring massive improvements to the 22,000-student community college, which has buildings dating to World War I.

Voters impacted at East Los Angeles College reside in Montebello, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Alhambra, San Gabriel, small areas of Temple City and Rosemead, Monterey Park, Bell Gardens, Commerce, Maywood, Vernon, East Los Angeles and a portion of Los Angeles.

Officials said the bond will help complete the math/science building, health and fitness center, humanities building, parking structure, disabled student center, transfer center and an upgraded student complex.

Other projects are a new technology building and a new language arts building and modernization projects at the Helen Miller Bailey Library and the nursing building.

The proceeds from Proposition AA were earmarked for projects at the district's nine colleges, including $71 million for Mission College in Sylmar; $106 million for Pierce College in Woodland Hills; and $106 million for Valley College in Valley Glen.

Officials said Proposition AA would help complete a number of projects begun with funding from Proposition A, including a new student food services and culinary arts building at Mission College; a Pierce College building for agriculture, nursing and science; and a Valley College computer, business and technology center.

Taxpayer groups including the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association opposed the bond issue, which would raise property taxes by $11.45 per $100,000 of assessed valuation, or about $34 a year for the average homeowner. Proposition A in 2001 added about $43 a year to the average property tax bill. Both bond issues won't be paid off until 2031-32.

Opponents also were critical because the district board tied the measure's placement on the May ballot to whether there would be a May runoff for a board seat - and as a result, the deadline for placing an opposing argument in the sample ballot booklet was Feb. 24, or eight days before anyone knew whether the bond issue would be on the ballot. As a result, no opposing ballot argument was presented to voters.

Proposition AA was endorsed by a number of educational, labor and business groups, including the Greater Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and the Valley Industry and Commerce Association.

Kris Vosburgh, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, said once the organization learned it couldn't get an opposition argument on the ballot, it knew the bond was likely to pass.