School Tax Hike Proposed

An increased operation millage of 2.25 milis was recommended by the Election Proposal Committee to the Board of Education last night. This would represent an increase in revenue of $2,500,000 for the 1971-72 school year. The citizens' committee in general agreed with the proposition that the "current curtailed" program cannot be continued without some increase in millage. In addition, the committee said it believes additional services must be instituted. The committee proposed that the operational millage increase be placed on the June 14 school election ballot. The school board has already decided to seek voter approval of a $12,847,000 bonding proposal on the June ballot. According to the committee, an increase of about $1,400,000 is needed for improvement of salaries, including new contracts to be negotiated. It also estimated an increase of $300,000 ia expenditures due to rising prices of services and materials. "We believe the cost of any additional programs not currently offered should be reasonably limited to $800,000," said Charles Votaw, chairman of the committeee. The increase in 2.25 milis represents a tax increase of $2.25 per thousand dollars assessed valuation. "The Election Proposals Committee realizes that an approved increase in operation millage as proposed will not allow funding of all programs suggested f by elementary and secondary councils," Votaw said. "We draw the attention of the board to seriously consider some of these proposals." The committee feit that an addition of custodial services is necessary to protect the current physical plant from rapid deterioration. A majority of the committee told the board the hot lunch program was added expense that is out of line with the added service it buys. "We urge you to vigorously continue to consider the merging of the school busing system with that of the city which we believe would realize a ings of school funds," Votaw said. ï The committee also recommended that renting photocopy equipment for bookcopying would be less expensive ' than the purchase of the equipment and under a renting contract, service would not be an additional expense. It is evident that the state equalized valuation is not increasing rapidly enough to support the built-in increases of operating a school system. In order to maintain the programs and physical plant we now have, and to institute some new programs an increased millage is necessary, the committee report said. M e m b e r s of the committee are Dorothy Graham of the Board of Realtors. Thomas Bletcher of the Jaycees, Albert Chaffee of the AAEA, Gerald Miller of the Concerned Citizens, Mar, sha Giegler of the Old West Side Group, I Mrs. Stan Bielby of the AAUW, Terrance McCarthy of the PTO Council, Duane Renken of the PTO Council, Don Gallinger of the PTO Council, Richard Brunvand of the Chamber of Commerce, Mrs. Jerold Isreal of the League of Women Voters, Rosewell Dillon of thel Senior Citizens and Charles Votaw, ofl the PTO Council. - m