Allegheny County Council has approved nearly $1.9 million in additional money for the Community College of Allegheny County in 2009.

The council Tuesday night approved operating funds of $21.9 million, an increase of $381,000 or 1.8 percent over the prior year.

In addition, the council approved $1.5 million in the capital budget. Kevin Evanto, spokesman for County Executive Dan Onorato, said that the county did not provide capital funding for CCAC in the prior year although it sometimes has done so.

He said County Councilman Bill Robinson, who also is vice president of the CCAC board, asked for help.

"We thought since we had the capacity to do it we would help them with some of their deferred maintenance and construction," Mr. Evanto said.

In a news release, CCAC President Alex Johnson said the college needs to focus on developing programs to help individuals get into the workforce and needs to maintain and invest in facilities.