Failure of school millage only punishes our students
Hamtramck voters have spoken, and have resoundingly rejected a public school millage request.
What a shame.
The only ones who will be hurt by this cruel thumbs-down are the school kids who depend on this revenue stream to help maintain their school buildings.
We can’t say we are entirely surprised by this defeat. There has been a growing anti-tax movement in this town that is being encouraged by people who have no idea how cities and schools run, or even survive.
They only care about their own selfish needs.
Our public services, which include public education, depend on our tax dollars. If we want clean water, streets we can drive on, police and fire service, and an educated public, all of this requires paying taxes.
Unfortunately, one of the key anti-tax crusaders, Nasr Hussain, survived the primary election for city council. Hussain also wants to eliminate the city income tax, which produces $2 million or more a year for the city to pay for services.
And while we are pointing fingers, there was zero effort by school officials to organize parents and volunteers to campaign for the millage renewal.
Any tax proposal must have grassroots supporters to campaign in favor of a millage. What were school officials thinking?
There are no free ride folks. Our school district needs public money to educate our youth. It is highly irresponsible for voters to turn their backs on them.
We encourage the school district to ask voters once again in the November election. Hopefully, voters will be more informed by then.
Posted Aug. 11, 2023
One Response to Failure of school millage only punishes our students
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Nasr Hussain
August 11, 2023 at 4:58 pm
Isn’t it funny to have this opinion in the same issue that reports millions in funding from the State to the school district:)
If the school is awash in Federal and State money, then they shouldn’t ask the residents for more money until they really need it and after stating the “very specific” purpose they need it for.
Residents should only give the school district money whenever they get their act together and stop the infighting between the board members themselves and the teachers union. Why would we trust our money to a dysfunctional school system.
I asked a friend of mine why he moved his child to Warren schools from Hamtramck and he replied as follows:” When he used to b in Hamtramck schools he would come home, throw his backpack in the corner and pick it up again when he goes to school. Now that he’s in Warren he comes back and sits down for three hours straight doing his homework.”
The issue here is not the money, it’s the failed educational mentality plaguing Hamtramck Public Schools.
As for the income tax repeal, it’s a win-win situation for Hamtramck, I will be glad to write you a whole article to be published in the newspaper if you guarantee publishing.