Personal experience can profoundly influence perceptions, which helps explain why Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's budget treats California's community colleges with respect.

Last year, Gray Davis proposed mid-year cuts for community colleges totaling $285 million and, on top of that, $530 million in cuts for the next fiscal year. Schwarzenegger's spending plan would increase college funding by $211 million, a 4.4 percent hike. Better yet, it includes the first installment of $80 million in a three-year plan to equalize funding among the state's 72 college districts.

This marks the first time a governor has made such a strong commitment to help ensure that California's community colleges receive the financial support from Sacramento that they deserve. It also should be noted that he's the first governor to attend a community college.

Schwarzenegger's positive experience at Santa Monica Community College exemplifies the value of these two-year schools. As a young Austrian immigrant, Schwarzenegger was looking to better himself, as have countless others, by enrolling in the state's community college system.

California's role as a world leader in higher education has stemmed in large part from the state's determination to provide access, affordability and quality to a wide range of students. That determination was codified in the 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education, which encompasses the University of California, the California State University and the state's community colleges. Despite being the system's largest component, the colleges have routinely received short shrift from Sacramento. They seldom receive the funding due them under Proposition 98, which earmarks 42 percent of the general fund to kindergarten through community colleges. The funding formula itself is so skewed that the San Diego, Southwestern, Palomar and Grossmont-Cuyamaca community college districts receive far less per student than the state average. The upshot of this unfair formula is fewer classes for the very students who can least afford a college education.

This inequity is all the more glaring given how important community colleges are in helping to retrain a large portion of the work force during tough economic times. Which is precisely why we welcome the governor's commitment to these long-neglected schools.

Rather than continue to treat California's community college districts like poor relations, Schwarzenegger's budget recognizes them to be a valuable resource. The colleges have cause to be cautiously optimistic about getting their fair share from Sacramento. That's because they finally have a friend in the governor's office.