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School Tax Issue Placed On June Ballot

School Tax Issue Placed On June Ballot image
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Day
6
Month
May
Year
1971
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
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Final authorization was given by the Ann Arbor Board of Education last night for a $12,900,000 bonding proposal and a millage proposal of 2.61 milis to be put on the June 14 school election ballot. The 2.61 mili request is for a five-year levy. School Supt. W. Scott Westerman Jr. told the board the budget the 2.61 mili increase would support is still highly tentative at this time. He also told the trustees the school district now expects a higher increase in assessed valuation of property. According to the superintendent, an increase of 7.73 per cent in assessed valuation is possible and this would give :he school budget about $42,538 more in income than predicted earlier. But he quickly added that other variables can raise ov lower the income. "This additional $42,538 could support i our current program of safety busing," I Westerman said, "as long as it is clearl that our service is an interim service until a governmental agency undertakes its responsibility for this service." Safety busing is the practice of busing students to school to avoid hazards encountered when walking, despite the fact that the youngsters do not qualify for busing under the criteria generally applied. Before his motion to adopt the bonding and millage proposals, Trustee Cecil Warner said: "We can't make commitments to certain budget issues ás a prerequisite for election support, but if we do get the increase Dr. Westerman discussed and the election proposals win, we can then make these commitments for additions to the proposed budget." The bonding issue will include the construction of three new elementary schools, additions to Slauson and Tappan Junior Highs, an addition to the main library, a new service building, and provisions to remodel existing elementary and junior high buildings. The passage of the bonding issue is estimated to cost about .79 milis, or a tax increase of 79 cents per $1,000 in state equalized valuation (SEV). Approval of the operational millage proposal of 2.61 milis would mean a tax increase of $2.61 per $1,000 of SEV. Thus if both the millage and bonding proposals are approved at the polls, taxes for Ann Arbor Schools would be increased by approximately $3.40 per $1,000 of SEV. Presently a total of 36.31 milis for operations and debt service is being levied on Ann Arbor School District voters. I Following the unanimous vote of the board approving the proposals for the June 14 election, Trustee Warner asked why the Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA) did not come out with a statement at the meeting in support of the millage and bonding issues or to urge the adoption of them. Albert Chaffee, AAEA president, responded that the "organization supports the proposals as expressed" but the reluctance to speak is "weighted by the burden in which we are in disagreement." His disagreement refers to the recent dismissal notices sent to 256 probationary staff members in the school district. The AAEA has filed a grievance protesting the action by the administration. The notices were sent out because of the district's financial problems and Westerman has said they will be rehired if the millage is approved.

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Ann Arbor News
Old News