Few communities have as much riding on the success of Proposition 55 on California's March 2 ballot as Petaluma.

Nine years after its opening, the Petaluma campus of Santa Rosa Junior College is a textbook success story. It has far exceeded its expectations of growth and demand.

But expansion is needed to keep up with the demand for classes -- and to cut down on the number of south county students who need to drive to Santa Rosa to take the courses they need.

For that reason, the SRJC is eager to get going on its long-anticipated $40 million expansion plan. About one-third of the funds have already been secured through the passage of a bond measure in 2002.

The remainder would come from Proposition 55, a $12.3 billion bond measure for public education. The bond money would be used to upgrade, repair and build new classrooms for schools K-12 and higher education campus throughout the state.

Under the expansion plan, the Petaluma campus would triple in size. The plans include building a variety of labs for computer, engineering, telecommunications and life science classes. The expansion also calls for the construction of eight new lecture classrooms and much-needed offices for faculty members. The campus bookstore, cafeteria and student services facility also would be expanded.

If Proposition 55 is approved, the work would start by next year and be completed by 2007.

Petaluma has taken great pride in the success of its SRJC campus. But like many students, it has yet to show its full potential. The passage of Proposition 55 will give it a chance.