Those against school millage are in special need of an education
It’s understandable that many of us are cynical when it comes to elections.
We expect people to lie and exaggerate.
But when it hits home in Hamtramck, elections are more personable. We take the things that are said to heart.
So, when a blatant lie is told, at the last minute in an election by an anonymous source, it becomes more shocking.
Such was the sad case for last Tuesday’s special election on whether to renew a crucial public school district millage for another 10 years. Someone, or a group of people, distributed a flier a few days before the election that erroneously claimed that by voting the millage down voters would enjoy a $500 break on taxes.
The flier was not only a lie, it likely violated state election law because it did not identify who produced the literature.
There is now an investigation into the matter, and it could go to the state’s Attorney General’s Office.
Sneaky, dirty political tricks aren’t new to Hamtramck, but this one has deep repercussions because the school district relies on this revenue source to operate. Some $1.88 million is collected by the tax each year.
We can’t afford to weaken our public school district and the education of our children. Yet, someone, or whoever, aims to do exactly that.
The school district will now be forced to waste money to ask voters once again to pass the millage, a millage that has been in place for the past 10 years and is only paid by those who own commercial properties or rental dwellings.
Those behind this flier are cowards.
Their attack on the millage was an attack on all of us. No matter where you stand on this issue, the very least that is owed is a fair fight.
There was a small irony in the flier and its broken English urging a ‘no” vote: It clearly showed that those behind the flier are in need of an education themselves.
Now is the time to invest in education — not disinvest in it.
The issue of educating our kids is not something to play politics over.
We can only hope that someone with a conscience steps forward and identifies those responsible for this craven attack.
7 Responses to Those against school millage are in special need of an education
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onu singh
March 8, 2015 at 9:11 pm
Voters had an option to vote No, and they voted No. I believe it was an informed decision from their part. I also believe they will continue this trend of participating in voting process in coming days.
me
March 9, 2015 at 11:28 am
If voters voted no based upon the information included in the flier/phone calls that stated this was a $500 tax increase then it was not an informed decision at all, it was one made out of ignorance of the facts.
onu singh
March 9, 2015 at 8:09 pm
if not all a lot of voters will save $500 yearly. This is the fact. Some even will save more than that. Can you deny this fact? Remember we are talking about saving money from our projected tax payments. Those who said if you vote yes , your tax will not increase, they in fact lied.This 18 millage tax burden was supposed to expire this year. This clearly implies if you don’t impose this tax with a new election, people would not have to pay anything in its place. Those who voted no made an informed choice for sure. Passing a biased judgment on them is simply unfair.
me
March 10, 2015 at 12:42 pm
No increase means no increase. This levy has been in place for 20 years. It is a renewal plain and simple, how you think that your tax will increase $500 over what it currently is I will never understand unless your property value increases and you own commercial property. Those who think that a landlord will lower rent as a result of not having to pay this levy are being naïve so most voters will save nothing.
Most voters are not commercial property owners.
You are correct that a no vote will save commercial property owners money but realize that 2,800 students will be affected in one way or another by the loss of revenue. If a little bit of money is your priority over a quality education for nearly 2,900 children vote no again.
Abdul
March 10, 2015 at 2:02 pm
The argument that this tax is not an tax increase is plain stupid. Without this tax, the total paid by “some” voters will be less than they currently paid. In other words: “Their tax will be lower if this proposal was rejected and lower if approved”.
HPS was very wrong to frame this issue as a tax increase issue. They should have presented the issue as an urgent need for raising the educational level of all Hamtramck students of all races and should have done more outreach to all the communities in Hamtramck, especially those with kids in HPS and not rely on special elections hoping that low turnout will benefit them as it did in the past.
onu singh
March 11, 2015 at 10:58 pm
It seems like media and Hamtramck Public School would force citizens to vote Yes If they could. Such a shame for a school district
Joe Wrobel
March 19, 2015 at 11:34 am
Strong public schools support a strong community and higher property values. Not only school activities take place at Hamtramck Public Schools, but recreation and community events as well. It is important to note that this is not a millage increase, taxes will not increase but remain the same. Not only students are benefited by Hamtramck School’s extensive outreach programs, but adults as well. Many immigrants have learned the English language and culture through the school system. Many special needs students receive learning assistance, and many more students receive two square meals daily. These programs, and our precious students, will suffer without this millage. And, as I found out the hard way, if you lose a tax deduction, like what happens when property taxes are reduced, you may owe more Federal Income Tax!