Package Of 7.05 Mills Is Increase, Renewal
If School Supt. W. Scott Westerman Jr.'s preliminary 1969-70 budget of $21.2 million is accepted .by the Ann Arbor Board of Education, an operational millage proposal of 7.05 milis will face Ann Arbor School District voters June 9. This would include a renewal of 3.37 milis plus 3.68 additional milis. Westerman's prel iminary budget and millage estimates were revealed to the school trustees yesterday during an afternoon briefing session. The proposed 1969-70 operating budget of $21,279,517 is an increase of $3.4 million over the 1968-69 budget of $17,846,833. Westerman said this $3.4 million increase is necessary to pay for next year's guaranteed and predicted salaries and wages of school personnel and pay for some curriculum improvements, as well as increased costs resulting from an estimated increase of 837 in pupil enrollment. Some 57 per cent of this $3.4 million, or approximately $1,950,000, would cover salaries i and wages, Westerman said. Most of this amount would go to the teachers. Some 22 per cent, or about $760,000, would I cover the costs of the increased I pupil enrollment. A total of I about $725,000, or 21 per cent of I the $3.4 million, would pay for I program improvements. In 1968-69, the budget was I based on a levy of 29.25 milis I for operations. If the 3.68 addiI tional milis are put on the balI lot and approved by the voters, I a total of 32.93 milis for operaI tions would be levied in 1969-70. The renewal of 3.37 milis I would involve no tax increase I over the 1968-69 tax .bil. The 1 3.68 new milis would mean a I tax hike of $3.68 per $1,000 of I state equalized valuation. Westerman's prel iminary ■ budget will be closely scrutiInized by the school board durling the next few weeks., The I first budget hearing, a two-hour session, will be held next Wednesday. The superintendent told the Board of Education last week a tax hike would be necessary in 1969-70 to "continue the tradition of quality which is this school district's heritage." He did not give his actual millage increase estimate until last night, however. The two-year contract negotiated last summer with the Ann Arbor Education Association guarantees the teachers total salary and wage increases next year of about $1,930,000. Only about half of the prog r a m and administrative improvements for next year recommended by principáis and teachers w e r e included in Wegerman's proposed budget. These include the hiring of a director of public information and a director of data systems; extending the "helping teacher" program to two additional schools; employing an additional reading coördinator and another teacher to work with perceptually handicapped children; supporting a study to develop nongraded school programs at Dicken and King Schools; Establishing "learning oratories" at two local jun-B ior highs where special atten-B tion can be given to "unrespon-1 sive" students, and providingl funds for a study by Tappanl Junior High and Pioneer Highl of introducing modular and 1 ble schedules, respectively. One new course included in I the recommendations is al ninth-grade elective in Negro I history and culture which will I probably be offered at the I ior highs. I Westerman also announced he is recommending the discontinuation of French next year in the fourth grades of the Ann Arbor Public Schools. It will be continued in the fifth and sixth grades, however. The superintendent told the trustees last week an increase of nearly $1.9 million would be necessary in 1969-70 to fund next year's program at current levéis. Last night, however, he I said this estímate had been "too conservative." A bonding issue for school construction, as well as the I operational millage proposal, I will be on the June 9 ballot for I Ann Arbor School District 1 ers. Westerman is expected to I recommend an amount for the I bonding proposal next week.
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Ann Arbor News
Old News