Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

School Board and Bond Vote, MONDAY

11. June 2004 • Scott Trudeau
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The Ann Arbor School Board elections are on Monday, June 14. A bond issue and sinking fund levy will also be on the ballot. Incumbents Helen Gates-Bryant and Theresa Han-Markey are competing for one open seat. Last year, the school board voted to reduce the board from nine seats to seven, resulting in two three expired terms, but only one available seat (incumbent Bob Rasmussen chose not to run). The bond issue will raise $205 million to build a new high school and fund other large purchases and building improvements. The $35 million sinking fund levy will raise funds for building repairs and renovations. Last time the school bond issue for a new high school for expansions of Huron and Pioneer was on the ballot it faced significant local opposition and failed. The new millage taxes will take effect when the current school taxes expire. If the bond issue does not pass, property taxes will be reduced significantly. If it does past, property taxes will still be less than they are now.

> See: Links to Ann Arbor News coverage and school district site

Michael Betzold sent us a great opinion piece on the school bond issue: Super Size Me: The Gluttonous High School Bond

The problem: Ann Arbor’s big high schools are too crowded.

The solution: Build another big high school.

It’s a typical American solution: More. Like building more roads because the roads are too crowded. Like building another mall across the street because the parking lot at the old mall is full.

Read on for more.

UPDATE 6-11-04: I’ve made some corrections to some factual errors above. Stay tuned for more on the election.



  1. Thank you so much for posting this, Scott! It kicks the ass of my blog’s measly coverage. I like this Betzold guy even more, now.
       —Brandon    Jun. 11 '04 - 01:46AM    #
  2. Hey Scott, got any insight into the school board election? Every bit of info I’ve seen has all been stuff like “Candidate X realizes that children are important. That’s why Candidate X is FOR children in our schools.” Well, yeah, I’d hope that everyone running for the school board was pro-education, but I’d like a little more info…
    js
       —js    Jun. 11 '04 - 12:41PM    #
  3. I admit I haven’t been following this stuff closely—this article was the result of my initial “homework” on the election. Watch for an update this afternoon or evening correcting a couple of errors in this post, and some more commentary.

    We need some people with kids to read this blog—they’re the ones who pay attention to this stuff! (now if we could only get our commenters to stop acting like kids…) :)
       —Scott Trudeau    Jun. 11 '04 - 03:56PM    #