Decision 2009: Washtenaw County voters debate merits of school enhancement millage
There were several sideshows on the menu for Election 2009 in Washtenaw County, but the issue that moved voters to the polls was the countywide schools enhancement millage.
The millage, if passed, would raise $30 million in each of the next five years, to be split between traditional school districts in the county. The 2-mill tax would cost the owner of a home with a taxable value of $100,000 about $200 a year.
At a time when schools are bracing for major cuts in per-pupil spending from the state, schools have argued the millage is necessary to prevent draconian spending cuts.
AnnArbor.com visited several polling sites throughout the day today. Of the several dozen voters who talked to reporters, most appeared to be opposed to the millage.
ANN ARBOR
Sigrid Goodman votes in every election, but said this one was really important - it affected her pocketbook directly.
Ypsilanti resident Mark Reiber votes at the Washtenaw County Country Club.
Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com
“I did not feel good about the millage,” Goodman said as she exited the polling station at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School. “I’m a retiree. I live on a very limited income - I can’t afford to pay any more taxes than I already pay. If the economy were better, maybe I would’ve voted differently.”
Goodman sounded a note that was a familiar one among voters today - while she loves the school system, there has to be a better way to keep books and teachers in classrooms than raising taxes.
“I think we do value education, and I do too,” Goodman said. “But it’s not that simple. I have to live, too.”
AnnArbor.com caught up with Council Member Marcia Higgins on her way out of the polls. Higgins is up for re-election against recent University of Michigan graduate Hatim Elhady.
Save for a knowing smile, Higgins declined to say which council candidate won her vote.
But she was impressed with the turnout.
“This isn’t presidential, it’s not gubernatorial - it’s all local. And people still showed up,” Higgins said, noting proudly she was the 355th voter at the precinct.
Election officials at Ann Arbor Pioneer and elsewhere agreed turnout was strong.
SALINE
Even though a city council election is being decided in Saline today, it was still the countywide schools enhancement millage that captured most voters’ attention.
Sal Randazzo, a candidate for Saline City Council, stands outside of the Liberty School polling place greeting voters.
Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com
Saline resident Kathy Flavin said while times are tough for schools, they’re even tougher for taxpayers. Flavin expressed a skepticism common among several voters in Saline.
“Almost everyone has had to sacrifice in this recession - companies have had to cut back, workers are taking lower wages and fewer benefits," she said. "Why shouldn’t schools have to change as well?”
Several Saline voters cited waste in the school system and said efficiencies should be found before schools turn to taxpayers to foot the bill.
Kathy Redies, a teacher at Saline Alternative High School, disagreed. She said she’s been warned to expect fallout if the millage doesn’t pass.
“If this millage fails, Saline schools will be $1.5 million in the hole,” she said. “I’ve heard that everything is on the table. At my school alone, we’re meeting the needs of 60 at-risk students; we can’t take any more cuts. I think our schools need our support.”
Dan Cameron, a peer educator at Saline High School, came out to support the millage. Though he said his position is federally funded, Cameron said it’s been made clear all manner of cuts will occur if the millage fails. The kids don’t deserve that, he said.
“Students would lose out on music programs, advanced placement programs, not to mention school supplies” if county voters rejected the millage. “That’s just not right.”
Even though her son has been told he could lose the music classes he enjoys, Judy McCoy said she cast her vote against the millage.
“It’s just like I told my son: Music class is a luxury, not a necessity,” McCoy said. “If that’s a luxury we want to continue, it’s up to us in the community to pay for it out of our own pockets. Additional taxes are not the solution.”
Carrie Krantz of Saline has a child in the school system and was a vocal supporter of the millage.
“We’re going to be losing substantial funding from the state government," she said. "If we don’t step up to the plate and support our schools, then how can we say we’re accountable for what our children do in the future?”
Mike Puckett, a building maintenance supervisor in the Saline school district, wouldn’t say how he voted on the measure but was insistent schools should trim their own budgets first before asking taxpayers for help.
“There are administrators still getting raises right now,” Puckett said. “The pain is not being shared equally. I really think voters are starting to wise up and ask more questions - I don’t think that’s a good sign for this millage.”
YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP
Between public safety and schools, voters in Ypsilanti Township had two high-stakes millages on their plates.
“I definitely wanted to support the Ypsilanti police,” Bill Knox said while exiting the polling station at the Washtenaw Country Club. “I definitely believe we need more police out on the streets, protecting us.”
But when asked about the cost of such measures - both of which would raise property taxes by $200 a year for homes with a taxable value of $100,000 - Knox, a paraprofessional in Ypsilanti schools, said sacrifices would be necessary to keep the streets safe and schools well-equipped.
“That’s just part of the sacrifice you have to make for the greater good,” he said.
Ypsilanti Township contracts with the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department for police protection; officials have said 10 deputy positions will likely be cut if the measure fails.
Celeste Hawkins, an Ypsilanti Township resident who has children in the Ypsilanti school district, said both millages seem to have been rushed through in an effort to scare voters.
She cited a meeting at her daughter’s school to discuss the school millage. After a representative from the Washtenaw Intermediate School District gave a presentation on why parents should pass the measure, Hawkins said she asked exactly what students would lose if the millage didn’t pass.
The representative didn’t have an answer, Hawkins said.
“I knew at that moment how I would vote,” she said. “I don’t like fear tactics. OK, we might have less per-pupil spending, but no one has explained what that means - how it will affect the learning our students do in the classroom. No one has given me that answer.”
The polls close at 8 p.m. Keep coming back to AnnArbor.com for updated election results all night.
James Dickson can be reached at JamesDickson@AnnArbor.com
Comments
Anonymous Due to Bigotry
Wed, Nov 4, 2009 : 7:34 p.m.
Bill: And how many will be here for 5 years? Even when factored into rent they won't pay for all of it.
Bill
Wed, Nov 4, 2009 : 12:37 p.m.
re: tredd. "coupled with the transient and impoverished voting yes because they will never have to pay anything themselves." You are right that they will not directly pay property taxes but it will cost them. I think landlords factor property tax inreases in when they determine whether to increase the rent.
fed-up
Wed, Nov 4, 2009 : 12:27 p.m.
The statement regarding two years maternity leave came from a current AA school employee who is a family member of mine after meeting with her union rep regarding her own maternity leave she will be taking later this year!!
Anonymous Due to Bigotry
Wed, Nov 4, 2009 : 11:55 a.m.
Teachers' unions are the bane of actual education for kids. In some cases interests basically coincide (like "student to teacher ratio") but people need to keep in mind that a teachers' union exists to promote the interests of the TEACHERS not the students! In the case of things like school choice these interests are absolutely not the same. We need vouchers or other forms of school choice so that ineffective wasteful public education and teachers' unions don't have a virtual monopoly on the education business. Otherwise they have absolutely no incentive to provide more effective education than private schools. The whole "we're going to fire the music teacher" thing sounds like an attempt to manipulate parents into voting for the millage if you ask me. Why pick on the music teacher rather than just make everyone take a pay cut? My guess is that the kids won't whine to their parents about the pay cut but will about the music teacher being fired.
Tort Reform
Wed, Nov 4, 2009 : 10:29 a.m.
Equating paying ever more taxes with promoting the "greater good" is misguided and naive. Social inequities are best resolved by supporting individual initiative, motivation, and individual liberty - the things the United States was founded on - and absolutely not by bigger government, and more forced redistribution.
tmad40blue
Wed, Nov 4, 2009 : 7:54 a.m.
It's very interesting. Most everybody who voted no on the millage would have easily been able to afford the tax increase, and most everybody who voted yes on the millage would have not been able to afford it. That tells you something - even though the people who voted yes knew that they probably wouldn't be able to come up with the money for the millage tax, they still voted YES because they knew how desperately important it was to education in Washtenaw County. If my mother (AAPS music teacher) gets laid off and our family goes bankrupt, I know exactly who to thank - everybody who voted no for the millage.
Realistic Citizen
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 11:17 p.m.
aataxpayer, Amen!
Mr. Incredible
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 10:31 p.m.
Amen. The man behind the curtain? Rupert Murdoch, is that you in our progressive midst? Whoever it is...it smells biased, and we ain't talking the "liberal" media. Can you say "cancel my subscription" to something that clearly doesn't represent this city?
aadams
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 10:10 p.m.
Teacher contracts need to reopened there is too much fat in them for example 2 year paid maternity leave. Where did you get this information? What district does this apply to? I want to work there. AA teachers get 6 weeks paid leave, 8 weeks if they are lucky enough to have a c-section. If they stay home longer than that, they do not get paid. If they stay out longer than a year, they probably no longer have a job (federal family leave act). Please use real facts when making your case. AA.com, should do a better job of fact checking these statements. You are a news source, aren't you?
Mumbambu, Esq.
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 9:54 p.m.
Its good this is going to pass. It means that several thousand people will be moving to the area over night to pay top dollar for existing homes. Had this not passed we would have seen hundreds of kids drop out of school and get jobs at Walmart and go on crime sprees and register for welfare and unemployment.
aataxpayer
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 9:42 p.m.
Mr Incredible, Frankly, we need to pursue reform even if this passes. There is a basic inequity between the haves and have nots. Those that have public employment with secure pensions and retirement benefits sheltered from state taxes versus the have nots - with their retirement income taxed and health benefits paid for with after tax money. State tax law and other laws (e.g. arbitration) should not be so biased in favor of unions and against taxpayers. Demand reforms!
YpsiLivin
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 9:41 p.m.
Limited special education services are provided to parochial and private schools through the local public school district (regardless of district, btw) but the money to pay for those services comes from the Federal government.
aataxpayer
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 9:41 p.m.
Mr Incredible, Frankly, we need to pursue reform even if this passes. There is a basic inequity between the haves and have nots. Those that have public employment with secure pensions and retirement benefits sheltered from state taxes versus the have nots - with their retirement income taxed and health benefits paid for with after tax money. State tax law and other laws (e.g. arbitration) should not be so biased in favor of unios and against taxpayers. Demand reforms!
Realistic Citizen
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 9:34 p.m.
Treetowncartel, You are so full of it! It takes all parts of an organization to make a change. This would include Admin, Teachers, School Boards, Families ect., They problems to date is that it's always the families and the kids that have to sacrifice. We need teachers, administrators, and all employees of school districts to be a part of the solution. The answer cannot always be to ask the families and kids carry the burden.
Mr. Incredible
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 9:18 p.m.
aataxpayer, Now that is a thought out solution that could be attainable. I still think this thing needs to pass so we can tread water in the meantime, given the 8.7 million cut by Granholm in the last two weeks. We'll find out in a few hours.
treetowncartel
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 9:14 p.m.
Laying the blame on the teachers is a cop out, that is like laying the blame for the big three's failure on the lineworkers. The sum of the parts is greater than the whole. Wake up people. If you think you can run it better then go build the better mousetrap and run for the school board in your district.
earthchick
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 9:11 p.m.
tredd, you are correct - I am a mortgage holder. (I also itemize my deductions - not b/c I have lots of money but b/c I have lots of eligible deductions). You're right that I'm willing to pay more in taxes for something that's worth it, and I would be hard-pressed to think of anything more worth it than the education of children. fed-up, could you please cite a source for the 2 year paid maternity leave that you say AAPS teachers are allowed?
Mr. Incredible
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 9:08 p.m.
Hey Tredd, I knew you sounded too reasonable to have a Bush/Cheney on your bike. I'm a big Bill Maher fan, and as you probably know he was a big time LPer. He's also never afraid to criticize those he has supported. He's never in lockstep with anyone. What's clear is that nothing in our political system and economy is close to being perfect. What disappoints me the most, from some folks, is selfishness and greed. Like " a few illegal immigrants will get FREE healthcare." OMG, human beings will have their lifetimes extended on our dime. Milan, Willow Run, Ypsilanti, etc, will benefit from our tax dollars if the millage passes. Does that resonate with you at all? Or is it just tough love for people who didn't get here first (immigrants). I'm jumping around a lot, but I think you get my point. Again, this is not an attack, I'm just throwing some thoughts out there.
dwa
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 9 p.m.
I think teachers earn every penny, and the ones I know are living within their means. I agree with this comment...and guess what most teachers I know turn right around and spend personal money for their classrooms and their students!!!! Those who question their salary or benefits may want to try teaching in a classroom for a month!!! I think they would find that teachers do earn every penny and then some!!!!!
tredd
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:55 p.m.
earthchick, for the benefit of others, let's be clear that the deduction is only to the benefit of (primarily) people who owe money on their homes (mortgages), or people with lots of money who itemize their deductions for taxable gains/losses, etc. from sizeable enough stock portfolios and the like. I'm assuming that your family (from your own characterization) falls into the category of mortgage holder. I make this distinction only to applaude you for being willing to pay higher net taxes. Once you get your 25-35% refund from the deduction (as opposed to a tax credit where you would truly be redistributing the whole amount) you will have still ponied up the remaining 65-75% of your payment in increased taxes. Again, thanks for the strength of your convictions and for exercising your right to vote. The most dissappointing thing for me about this and any election (by the way, the 2 mills won't kill me, it just fries me) is that the issues will be decided by somewhere between 15-20% of those eligible to vote.
fed-up
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:51 p.m.
I voted NO on the Millage. Not because I don't support the AAPS, but because this is an ill thought Milliage. There are ways to cut costs not being discussed with in the district. There are items with in the schools not being used in educating students. these items should be sold. Teacher contracts need to reopened there is too much fat in them for example 2 year paid maternity leave. Also I don't feel that my Ann Arbor Taxes should pay for Willow Run or Ypsi schools. Make cuts them come and ask for the money needed.
pickbits
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:48 p.m.
I voted yes. We can't forget that education is what makes a community strong. They need money and we can't short change them. It is too important.
Mr. Incredible
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:47 p.m.
djahner, Not at all. I just wasn't aware of that fact until today. Which makes me think how many other things each side doesn't know. What I do know is the NO side sent out mailers touting a 11.4% increase in your taxes. And then in very fine print " the increase applies only to your school portion of taxes." But to someone whose eyesight is challenged, what is the only number they see? Or anyone who just glances at it. When a real estate magnate is funding this NO vote propaganda, it smacks of the fine print seen on so many predatory lending contracts. Can you at least recognize that? This is not an attack, djahner, just observations. My frustration with many conservatives that I know is an unwillingness to ever admit to wrongdoing or mistakes made by their leaders (Bush). They're quick to attack Rich Rodriguez and Michigan football when they make mistakes but when it comes to politics, there never seems to be an admission of "they could have done that better." Just my own anecdotal observations.
Jon Saalberg
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:44 p.m.
People against helping the schools seem to confuse the salaries of school administrators with short-changing children. Also, living within your means has nothing to do with how much money you make. If you make a certain amount of money, you should budget to live on that salary. Do you anti folks then mean if a person makes $500,000 a year, and they can live on that, then that is an OK salary? I think teachers earn every penny, and the ones I know are living within their means. Also, there is an idea floated here about producing a bunch of doctors to deal with the health care crisis. Isn't going to work for one big reason - many doctors don't want to practice the kind of medicine we need in this country, due to the hours and stress. Instead, they're going for specialties like dermatology, which pay a ton of money, but don't involve a zillion hours, and keep them out of emergency rooms at all hours.
tredd
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:36 p.m.
Mr. Incredible, my motorcycle sports an LP sticker, our cars have no political leanings since my wife occassionally disagrees with me. Concerning universal healthcare, I believe we can afford (but are not obligated) to cover basic healthcare for the less successful in society. Unfortunately, what I've seen out of Washington scares me in its politics v. caring v. cost. I think something should be done I just can't make an intelligent/informed choice as to what. Here's a radical idea to solve basic healthcare for all, why not flood the market with doctors? Instead of throwing all our money at the immediate "problem" how about subsidizing as many medical students as possible and require any state college (or university such as UofM) to dramatically increase their enrollments since their funding organization (you and me) needs doctors. Looking 10 years down the road we could certainly have as many doctors as lawyers in this country and prices would drop across the board for basic healthcare. I'm not worried in the least in terms of quality basic care. Myself as well as many of my friends are more than intelligent enough to pursue this course of study as are many others much younger than I who don't even dream of it due to cost... Sorry Mr. Moderator, I know this is off topic but wanted to get a quick response to Mr. Incredible.
djahner
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:31 p.m.
Mr Incredible, is your fact about Special Ed kids reason enough to exclude charter and parochial kids from sharing tax dollars?
ktinsaline
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:29 p.m.
Thank you, Mr. Incredible, for pointing out some of the salient, yet sadly ignored facts related to this millage proposal.
earthchick
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:26 p.m.
Contra to what tredd has argued - I am part of a middle class working family and my husband and I both voted YES for the millage. Contra to what John Galt has said - neither my husband nor I work for the public sector. As Mr. Incredible has noted, my increased property tax will count as a deduction on my income taxes. That is money well reallocated, imho. I am thrilled with the education my children are receiving in the AAPS and I will do whatever I need to to insure that they continue to receive a quality public education.
southpaw
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:25 p.m.
Do you want the best doctor, lawyer, mechanic, teacher, hair dresser, tree trimmer, plumber, etc... living and working in your town? Guess what, the best professionals are attracted to cities that have good things for their families. The first things people look at when deciding to move to a new city for a job opportunity are the schools and crime. I recently chose to move here from the East coast so that my kids could go to a great public school and I could afford to stay home while my husband started his new career at UM. We are a single earner household, and we are making sacrifices, and I voted YES for the 'enhancement' millage because I realize how economic development depends on attracting the best professionals to Ann Arbor, and that requires having properly maintained funding for the school system, which in turn reduces crime, increases property value, and the cycle continues...
aataxpayer
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:25 p.m.
Dear Mr. Incredible, Here are concrete things NO voters (and may YES voters) would like to see happen: 1) Reopen contract negotiations with every teachers union and get salary reductions, higher co-pays for health benefits and eliminate any contractual bias favoring MEA run insurance. 2) Put a switch to defined contribution pensions "on the table" so that we can move to a pay as you go approach to pension liabilities. 3) With steps 1 and 2 complete, make sure all county school districts do #1 and #2. 4) Ask Lansing to fill the remaining gap with stimulus money and implement funding reforms. 5) With concessions and real local reforms implemented and pressure applied to Lansing for broader reform, now consider putting the a smaller WISD enhancement millage on the ballot for a shorter period of time.
American Family
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:23 p.m.
We voted: NO I think that the schools should use the money they have better. The basics first. Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Science, History, Politics, Gym. Then the Arts. THEN the extra liberal "tree hugging", "for the children" waste of money classes. Don't get me wrong. I just think that allot of the money in schools today is being wasted on crud that should be taught in the home by the family. The schools get plenty of money to do their job. The Teachers do it well, when allowed. There is no need for extra money. Use what they have for what it is intended for. Trim the fat, before asking for extra helpings. Ask the school districts to open their books to the public. You will be amazed to see what they spend money on. Back to basics is what I want to see.
Mr. Incredible
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:14 p.m.
djahner, Did you know that Ann Arbor Public Schools, by law, provides special education social work services to all parochial schools in the city? St. Francis, Gabriel Richard, etc.
John Galt
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:14 p.m.
I see a trend here. Seems that public employees will support higher taxes (for their paychecks) and people who derive their living from the private sector think it's time for the government to make the tough choices too.
Mr. Incredible
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:07 p.m.
Thanks MJC, But a legitimate change from who? AAPS or the State of Michigan? And I agree the Michigan Promise Scholarship cut is a travesty. I moved here two years ago from Los Angeles because I wanted my daughter to be in a great public school system. Have you seen how AAPS has closed the achievement gap in the last 5 years? The numbers are some of the best in the country. Regardless of the misdeeds of the higher ups, the pros far outweigh the cons. Should Skyline have been built? No. Now it is the white flight destination of the affluent in A2. This was former board member Griswold's fight. And strangely she is the biggest coup for the NO vote side on the millage. Does it bother you that McKinley Real Estate is behind this. They own half of Ann Arbor.
bud
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:05 p.m.
Polls are closed. It will be interesting to see if the strong "No" comments here, 3-1 at least, reflects our community. I hope not.
djahner
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 8:03 p.m.
As a parochial parent I am tired of subsidizing inferior education. I have found that a higher quality education is available for a lower cost. Public schools need to consolidate districts, convert defined benefit pensions to defined contribution plans, and stop standing in the way of choice initatives such as vouchers and tax credits. Alternative schools would not exist if it were not for the demand of parents voting with their feet.
Mr. Incredible
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 7:48 p.m.
Of all the NO vote arguments I have read, Tredd, that is the most logical and reasonable of all. I'm curious about your political leanings and your feelings about universal healthcare. If you care to respond.
MjC
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 7:45 p.m.
I'm not hating on anyone Mr. Incredible. I'll support a tax increase for our schools if it makes better sense than this one. There are so many things we could be doing better - why say yes to something that is wrong? I've sent letters to our Governor who, by the way, PROMISED to keep the Michigan Promise Scholarship in tact. This mill will NOT fix the problem that our State has created. To truly fix it the increase has to be even more! And it must come with a legitimate plan of change.
tredd
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 7:39 p.m.
I voted no. There is an interesting dicotomy in the Ann Arbor voting base that almost assures that every millage/tax increase passes (I've only seen one tax increase NOT supported and passed in the 10 years that I've live here and that was for a jail that apparently we had the money for all along.) What you have is a fairly affluent community coupled with a highly transient (grad students passing through and the like with their families)portion and a smaller but still relevant group near or below the poverty line. What happens is that the affluent who can afford to pay go ahead and vote yes (they admirably argue one presumes that they can afford it) coupled with the transient and impoverished voting yes because they will never have to pay anything themselves. These two groups collectively can come in over 50% so that leaves the middle class working family stuck paying more and more to the benefit of the affluent and the impoverished. I feel for the impoverished but I wish the affluent would quit raising my taxes!!! To make matters worse, with this millage Ann Arbor is a net donor community. Does anyone think the outlying districts are going to en mass vote against a millage that brings them more than they themselves have to give?
Mr. Incredible
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 7:35 p.m.
In the last two weeks Lansing (Granholm) has cut 8.7 MILLION DOLLARS from Ann Arbor Public Schools for THIS school year (2009-10). Is that setback the fault of greedy AAPS administrators and teachers? The millage will bring 11.2 million to AAPS. This isn't an enhancement millage, it's a STAYING AFLOAT millage. Do property owners know that they can get back, if not all, most of this tax on their federal and state tax returns if they itemize their deductions? Is this simply a republican/democratic idealogical difference about public education? The hate and vitriol from the NO side is astonishing. What does the "greater good" mean to you? And provide a solution, not just hate.
shawnsbrain
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 7:30 p.m.
Don't be so quick to admit defeat. It seems like the prevailing opinion is to turn this thing down. Have faith. Conservative values should prevail in times like this. Remember to vote the next time around for a sensible governor.
MjC
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 7:17 p.m.
My prediction is that the increase will pass since it was slipped in during another low turnout election. I still voted NO. It's not that I don't support our school system, it's just that this mill will not solve the problems we're faced with. If anyone had carefully read the fine print, they would agree. We could have done much so better!
PaperTiger
Tue, Nov 3, 2009 : 7:16 p.m.
That's absolutely right. "Administrators are still getting raises right now." What do you think they will do if the millage passes???? It wouldn't be long until they get ANOTHER raise. Live within your means like the rest of us have to do. VOTE NO!