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Voter Confusion Over
Effects Of Proposal A

JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER

W

endy Wagenheim, the
state public affairs
chairwoman for the
National Council of
Jewish Women Greater Detroit
Section, is supposed to under-
stand political issues in Michi-
gan. Most of the time she does.

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THIS SPACE CONTRIBUTED BY THE PUBLISHER

But like so many voters, in-
cluding some of the most polit-
ically educated, she is confused
and unsure how she will vote
on Tuesday.
The source of this confusion
is Proposal A, a ballot proposal
that asks voters to decide how
to replace the $7 billion in prop-
erty taxes that paid for public
schools until the Legislature
and Gov. John Engler slashed
the tax last summer.
"I'm like the rest of the
world," Ms. Wagenheim said.
"I'm not sure what to do."
If Proposal A is passed, the
sales tax will increase from 4 to
6 percent and the state income
tax will drop two-tenths of a
percent, to 4.4 percent. This bal-
lot proposal would impose six
mills on homesteads statewide
but allow voters in each school
district to approve an addition-
al 18 mills.
In addition, homeowners ul-
timately would pay a .75 per-
cent tax on the price of their
home when they sell.
Proposal A also places 50
cents additional tax on a pack
of cigarettes.
If the proposal fails, the
statutory plan kicks in. While
the sales tax remains the same,
the state income tax increases
to 6 percent. In addition, it cuts
school operation property tax-
es to 12 mills statewide on
homesteads and 24 mills on sec-
ond homes.
The statutory plan also
would raise the cigarette tax by
15 cents a pack and impose the
same .75 real estate transfer
tax as Proposal A.

In addition, it would raise the
single business tax from 2.35 to
2.75 percent.
'When you wipe out $7-$8
billion in property tax, you sim-
ply can't replace it with one
tax," said Rep. Maxine Berman
D-Southfield. "It had to be com-
plex.
"People are getting
confused over the fact
that the Legislature is
constantly changing the
ballot proposal. I can't
tell you exactly what
you'll be voting on."
Between now and
March 15, Ms. Wagen-
heim plans to keep read-
ing and trying to
educate herself before
going to the polls. She of-
fers the same advice to
others unsure of what
they will do when it's
time to vote.
By Tuesday, Rick
Simonson, assistant superin-
tendent at Oakland Schools,
will have made 48 speaking ap-
pearances to explain the impact
of Proposal A on schools.

"I tell people not to
worry about their
schools when they
go to vote."

— Rick Simonson

"I tell people not to worry
about their schools when they
go to vote because the money is
in place no matter what hap-
pens," he said. "I tell them to
look at how it will affect them
as a taxpayer, keeping in mind
the key proponents are either
a sales tax or an income tax
increase."

Bomb Threat
Leads To JCC

JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER

S

hortly after a Sunday af-
ternoon production of
Fiddler on the Roof began
at the JCC, the show's
producer, Nancy Gurwin, de-
cided to take a short walk
around the building. When she
got to the lobby, she saw "a
mass exodus of people."
What Ms. Gurwin saw was
the evacuation of the Center in
response to a bomb threat,

