HRP Calling For "No" Vote on Millage



HRP Calling For 'No' Vote On Millage

May 20 1975

The Human Rights Party announced today that it will oppose the three millage requests on the June 9 school ballot. 

The requests include a 3-mill renewal for operations, an additional 1.5 mills, plus a 1.5 mill renewal for support of the library. 

HRP school board candidate Shelley Ettinger said: "Non-commercial property taxes place the burden of financing our schools on those who can least afford to pay -- average working people. In this time of economic crisis, HRP cannot support continued demands for more and more money. 

"Millages based on property taxes are inequitable, for low and middle income people are taxed as much as those with higher incomes. HRP calls instead for a drastic re-organization of public school financing, based on a state-wide steeply-graduated income tax. 

"HRP's opposition to the millage proposals is based upon a clear understanding of who spends the money and where it goes, as well as who plays it. We know the priorities of the Board of Education. We know the salary of the superintendent of schools - $42,000. We know that they have no commitment to innovative programs - it didn't take a millage cut to virtually close down the "multi-ethnic curriculum."

"HRP urges voters to take a stand June 9. Unless people tell the Board of Education that they've had enough, it will keep mis-spending their money and ignoring their interests. And until people refuse to give a penny more under the regressive property tax system, working people will keep footing the bill that the wealthy could so easily pay."