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May 20, 1981 - Image 1

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Publication:
Michigan Daily, 1981-05-20

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The Michigan Daily.

Vol. XCI, No. 11-S

Ann Arbor, Michigan-Wednesday, May 20, 1981

Sixteen Pages

ProposalA
rejected by
state voters

From staff andwirereports
DETROIT - Michigan voters rejec-
ted by almost a 3-1 margin yesterday a
tax plan that would have slashed
property taxes and increased the sales
tax. The plan had been devised by state
leaders hoping to head off. more
sweeping tax reforms.
An unofficial tally by The Associated
Press showed Proposal A trailing by a
74-26 percent margin with 5 percent Qf
the state's 6,712 precincts reporting.
Returns from across the state showed
the proposal losing heavily in all areas.
THE PROPOSAL WAS defeated in
Washtenaw County by a narrow
margin, said a county clerk, adding
that about one-third of registered
voters in the county cast ballots.
The plan, known as Proposal A,
would have chopped property tax bills
by about 45 percent. To offset the loss of
revenue, the sales tax would have risen
from 4 cents to 5.5 cents on the dollar.
University officials, who formally
supported Proposal A last week, said

they were "disappointed" with its
defeat.
"THERE WILL BE other oppor-
tunities to pass appropriate legislation
and I hope we will take advantage of
them," said University President
Harold Shapiro.
"I'm just terribly disappointed," said
Richard Kennedy, vice president for
state relations. "I think it puts the
whole, fiscal situation in the state in a
quandry," he said, hinting that he ex-
pects another Tisch type proposal to
appear on the 1982 ballot.
Kennedy said he thought the negative
vote indicated the electorate was either
satisfied with the current state tax
structure, or that people desired more
severe cutbacks in state expenditures.
THE ISSUE was placed on the ballot
by Gov. William Milliken and the
Legislature, in part to throttle growing
support for huge tax cut plans expected
to be on the state ballot in 1982.
"I did all I could do," said Milliken,
who rebounded from hernia surgery in
See STATE, Page 2

Sails away
Boat 4 of the University's Sailing Club turns hard during a race last Sunday on
Base Lake. The club teaches sailing classes each Saturday and races every
Sunday at the lake, which is just outside Dexter.

Night transit system OK'd

By LOU FINTOR
The Women's Safety Task Force of the Public In-
terest Research Group in Michigan announced
yesterday that plans to implement a late-night transit
service for Ann Arbor residents have received the
tentative approval of the city and federal governmen-
ts..
The service is to be provided by independent taxi
companies in Ann Arbor through the Ann Arbor
Transportation Authority, and is slated to operate
between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. nightly at a reduced cost
to city residents.
CHRIS PENNOCK, A MEMBER of the Women's
Safety Task Force and PIRGIM treasurer, said the
plan now has federal approval and that official
notification is expected somietime within the month
from the Urban Mass Transportation Association in
Washington.
"Officials at AATA sound really optimistic," Pen-
nock said. "Officials at the Urban Mass Transpor-
tation Association have already assigned a project
manager with AATA and we hope to have the service
operating before the end of this summer."
According to Pennock, the Women's Safety Task
Force became concerned with the status of night-
time transportation following the murder of three
Ann Arbor women last year, and a reported recent
increase in sexual assaults.

F eds unofficially
approve servitce
"WE TARGETED AATA because as an urban
mass transit authority and a public service, it has the
responsibility to provide transportation to residen-
ts," Pennock said.
Although the service will be available to all city
residents, women traveling alone late at night will be
especially encouraged to use the service. "We wan-
ted to make inexpensive, convenient transportation
available to city residents late at night," said Pen-
nock.
Statistics from a recent Task Force survey indicate
that at least 350 Ann Arbor residents get off work
between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. and that most either ride or
walk with another employee, or have a friend pick
them up. According to Pennock, very few said they
took a cab or owned a car.
THE GROUP SURVEYED more than 20 major
area late-night employers in compiling their
statistics. "The survey didn't include area hospitals,
libraries, or special events crowds," Pennock said.

While the Safety Task Force will not have a direct
voice in the operation of the service, it will
periodically review and monitor the system, Pennock
said.
"AATA has been really receptive and
cooperative," said Pennock. "They all seem to be
genuinely concerned with the late-night transpor-
tation problems in Ann Arbor."
THE WOMEN'S SAFETY TASK Force is concer-
ned with the discontinuance of the University's "Nite-
Owl" bus service for the summer. But, they say,
while the "Nite-Owl" may serve a select number of
residents, it doesn't address the problems of late-
night transportation on a city-wide basis.
"The 'Nite-Owl' is a good service, but it only serves
a-minimal number of people until 2 in the morning,
and it's not a door-to-door service," said Paddock.
The Women's Safety Task Force is optimistic about
the success of the new service, but points out that it's
continued operation rests with residents of Ann Ar-
bor.
"This is a demonstration-grant subsidy for one
year," Pennock said. "It's important that the public
utilize the service so the transitauthority will see that
it's worthwhile. It's just a test, we have to make it
work."

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