At the PTO’s general meeting on April 17th, we heard a presentation from the Citizens’ Millage Committee about the two school tax proposals on the May 6th ballot. In response to that presentation, the PTO members present agreed unanimously that the PTO should take a public position supporting the proposals. They also approved the following resolution by a unanimous vote:

The Burns Park Elementary PTO is committed to ensuring that all our children receive the best possible education during their years in the Ann Arbor Public Schools. We believe that our entire community shares a responsibility to ensure that the children of our community have access to a quality public education. Adequate and stable funding for our schools is a prerequisite to building and maintaining a quality school system.

In light of this commitment, the Burns Park Elementary PTO supports the passage of the two Ann Arbor Public Schools millage proposals on the May 6th election ballot. Proposal B renews the existing operating millage, which contributes nearly half of our schools’ operating budget. Proposal C renews the existing sinking fund millage, which allows the AAPS to perform critical regular maintenance on our schools without diverting resources from teaching. While we recognize that these measures will not solve all the financial problems faced by our district, they are a critical and necessary step toward maintaining quality schools. Even in these difficult economic times, our common responsibility for the education of our children cannot be set aside.

For more information on the ballot issues, please visit the Citizens’ Millage Committee web site:
http://www.a2cmc.org
or the AAPS informational site about the proposals:
http://www.a2schools.org/2008millages