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The
Michigan Daily
Vol. LXXXIX, No. 62-S
Thursday, August 9, 1979
Twelve Paes
I
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ten Cents
AATA cuts
bus services,
increases fares
yRy
Onily Phete by JIM KRUZ
AT A RALLY near City Hall before last night's Ann Arbor Transportation
Authority board meeting, many Ann Arbor residents, including Debbie
Johnson (center), protested transportation service cotbacks. Johnson is
trying to start the Organizing Committee Against Cotbacks to voice opposi-
tion against transportation cots.
Milliken vetoes $1 limit
on state abortion funding
By SARA ANSPACH
The Ann Arbor Transportation
Authority (AATA) approved proposals
last night that will eliminate Dial-a-
Ride service for the general public
during the day, increase fixed bus
routes during peak periods, and raise
regular cash fare from 35 cents to 50
cents.
Under the new proposal, effective
Oct. 1, handicapped, elderly, and low-
incoine passengers will ride at half
price on regular bus lines. Regular
evening bus service will be eliminated,
with fixed routes running from 6:30
a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Dial-a-Ride services
will be available to the general public if
individuals give a one-hour notice from
7 p.m. til 10 p.m.
The proposals, which included
eliminating Sunday fixed route service
and cut regular evening service,
sparked much debate among com-
munity members. Participants at a
rally before the meeting emphasized
the concerns of those who would be
especially hurt by the proposals: han-
dicapped, elderly, low-income, and
women passengers.
A woman at the meeting said AATA
traditionally has "a reputation for
caring for all the people who live in the
city" and said she hoped the board
would continue that reputation.
Another speakertat the meeting, Gigi
Bausch, said, "I think women in this
town ought to go out at night and be
safe.'
Over the past few years, AATA has
been confronted with a series of budget
deficits. The fare hike and the cut in the
overall service budget are expected to
help alleviate financial problems.
AATA Director Richard Simonetta
announced at last night's meeting he
had investigated receiving more finan-
cial help at state and federal levels.
At the state level "(they) look very
favorably upon our request," Simonet-
ta said.
The proposals approved by AATA
last night include:
" increased Dial-a-Ride service
during the day for handicapped,
elderly, and low-income passengers;
" the elimination of monthly passes,
which gave regular riders a discount.
Discounts will be offered through 35-
cent tokens, which businesses and other
establishments will be able to buy to
sell to patrons;
* handicapped, elderly, and low-
income passengers will have to show
identification to be eligible for special
fares and service. The AATA board and
an advisory committee will determine
criteria for the handicapped' the state
Department of Social Services will
provide identification for low-income
passengers; and elderly passsengers
must prove they are 60 or older.
Strike talks
to resume
Striking skilled trades workers and
University officials are scheduled to
resume negotiations this morning in the
presence of a state negotiator, a
University administrator said last
night.
Arlie Braman,schief negotiator for
the University, said bargaining will
start again this morning after a week of
no sessions. The 318 members of the
campus skilled trades workers union
walked off their jobs when their
University contract expired Aug. 1.
In related action, union President
Jim Murphy said last night pickets
have been removed from three campus
library construction projects under the
threat of a court injunction from a par-
ty involved in the privately contracted
projects. Workers on the library sites
had been honoring the University
workers' picket lines.
See related story, Page 3
LANSING (UPI)-Gov. William
Milliken, as expected, yesterday vetoed
a budgetary provision designed to
eliminate welfare abortions but signed
the rest of a $1.37 billion welfare
budget.
Milliken said the 1979-80 budget
measure is predicated on a somewhat
optimistic projection of welfare rolls
and might be strained if the current
recession deepens.
THE MEASURE contains a 6.2 per
cent increase for families receiving Aid
to Dependent Children funds and a 6 per
cent increase in general assistance
payments.
It was the fifth time in about a year
Milliken has used his veto power to con-
tinue the opportunity of Medicaid
recipients to state-paid abortions.
The legality of his actions is being
challenged in a lawsuit now before the
Michigan Court of Appeals.
"CONSISTENT WITH my past ac-
tions-I am vetoing the restrictions on
funding for abortions," Milliken said in
his veto message.
"I continue to support state policy.
which provides an eligible recipient of
medical assistance the right to seek a
legal abortion; if that is the choice of the
individual woman, thus extending to
the poor the same choices available to
others," he said.
THE PROVISION vetoed by Milliken
would have limited to a token $1 funding
for abortions not necessary to save a
See MILLIKEN, Page 2
School officials present black English plan
By ADRIENNE LYONS
Officials of the Ann Arbor school system, last night
presented an educational plan to the Board of
Education designed to help teachers identify children
who speak black English and teach them standard
English. The plan was mandated by a federal judge
last month following the "black English" trial.
At a meeting at the Ann Arbor Public Library,
Board President Kathleen Dannemiller asked her
colleagues and members of the community to
examine and critique the plan so further work can be
done before the board takes a final vote on the
proposal next week.
The plan, devised jointly by Associate Superinten-
dent Lee Hansen, Assistant Superintendent Robert
Potts, and Superintendent Harry Howard, is com-
posed of two phases, according to Hansen.
Part one of the plan, Hansen explained, is an in-
structional program for King School staff. The
second phase consists of a classroom reinforcement
component, Hansen added.
THE PLANS resulted from a court case in which
the families of 11 students at King Elementary School
charged that the school district both failed to
recognize that the children spoke a black dialect and
labeled them as-emotionally or learning disabled.
In a landmark decision against the school district,
U.S. District Court Judge Charles Joiner ruled in July
12 that the school system, within 30 days, would be
required to devise a plan aiding such children.
Although the school board originally voted to appeal
the decision, Dannemiller called for another vote
when it appeared the school board may have violated
portions 'f the state Open Meetings Act. The board
then decided not to appeal the case.
Dannemiller said yesterday, however, that pn.,:
Tuesday the school system requested a one-week ex-
tension on its deadline, whicb-was Monday.
According to the project, the staff of King Elemen-
tary School and the Ann Arbor Education Association
will receive at least "20 hours of formal instruction,"
which will begin in October, 1979, and be completed
by February 15, 1980. A special instructional team
that will be hired by the school system will include
linguistics and language arts consultants.
THE REINFORCEMENT phase will be implemen-
ted through "a series of three or four one-hour follow-
up seminars" beginning in February and extending
until the end of the school year. Also, a language arts
consultant will be hired for King Elementary School
to help teachers and "high-need students."
The plan will cost an estimated $41,915 for the
school system, with $32,415 for purchasing new
materials and hiring additional personnel.