Voters Reject Career Center

I Economie uncertainty, inflation and Ithe energy crisis were some of the reaísons school officials cited for the defeat ' Tuesday of a proposal to build and support an área career center. The proposal, which would have meant a one-mill increase in property taxes, lost by more than two to one. It was defeated in all 10 school districts involved. This is the third time since 1968 that voters have defeated a county.vocational education proposal. Unofficial results from Tuesday's election show the first ballot question to increase the property tax drew only 3,810 "es" votes compared to 8,389 "no" votes. The second ballot question authorizing the sale of bonds up to $7.6 million was defeated 3,758 to 8,445. There were 12spoiledballots. Voter turnout was light, as Wa"shtenaw Intermedíate School District (WISD) officials had predicted. Only about 12 per cent of the county's 100,000 registered voters went to the polls. The WISD would have built and operated the, center. While expecting the issue to be defeated in out-county school districts, WISD and Ann Arbor school administrators expressed surprise Ann Arbor voters I defeated the career center proposal so resoundingly. In Ann Arbor the two proposals were turned down by 62 per cent of the 7,504 persons who voted. In 1970, when the career center proposal was defeated by only 1,200 votes out of 24,000 cast, Ann ArI bor passed it. When asked why he thinks voters I turned down the career center proposal, iNick A. Ianni, superintendent of the IwiSD, said, "I thirik it's just the sitúaItion that exists in society and the tion of people relative to all the negafive things in the society.' That has to be it. I have to be convinced it wasn't this single issue." Reasons cited by Ianni include the energy crisis and its impact, inflation, loss of credibility in public leaders and the impact of operating schools on the basis of the property tax. "Unfortunately the need still exists for the large group of youngsters who will be exposed to an inferior, curriculum. Parents will have to seek services at the 'local district level," Ianni said. Ann Arbor Supt. Harry Howard said school administrators will have to see if there are other ways schools can give [ adequate vocational training to students. i "We'll have to be very active legislativelyiowardsaicLI Two possibilities are expanding the role of community colleges to provide more vocational training or lowering the number of students required to be eligible for state and federal vocational funds. Currently a school district or districts must have a student population of 29,000 to receive the area career center funds. Ann Arbor's enrollment is 19,786. "My concern is that this concept (vocational education) will receive a lot more funds from state and federal sources. Unless guidelines are changed j districts like Ann Arbor won't be able to j takeadvantage,"Howardsaid. Patrick Gilbert. Career Education, (CONT'D. ON NEXT PAGE)