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Show Be part of leeway vote Local voters are being asked to study the proposed leeway vote by the Alpine School District, and to go to the polls May 7 to make their feelings about the proposal known. Most of them probably won't take the time. That's a shame, because the vote involves a three mill increase in property taxes, and will raise the average home-owners annual tax bill by about $30. That's an issue every voter should take an interest in, as he evaluates the proposal and decides whether or not to support it. However, it is the nature of these types of elections that they don't draw a big percentage of the registered voters. Consequently, small groups make a decision that affects a large number of people. The local nature of a leeway vote means it doesn't get the kind of coverage that accompanies the November general election for a U.S. president, which makes headlines and leads off national and local newscasts for months before the polls open. Also, there not a lot of organized support for the leeway vote. Last year, when the district first considered the leeway vote, a committee was put together to drum up ' ' support for the proposal. The group was building a campaign to support the leeway tax, when a complex Utah Supreme Court ruling increased taxes for every homeowner in the state. As a result of the ruling, the district dropped the leeway proposal. When the district made the decision to go ahead with the vote this year, the committee was not used - leaving most of the campaigning for the 3 mill property tax increase with district administrators. As a result, the superintendent has been stumping for the voted leeway in PTA and other school-oriented meetings - places where district officials were likely to find parents concerned with the quality of their children's education, and receptive to talk of improving the schools. School district officials have visited with representatives represen-tatives from the press and businesses as well, explaining ex-plaining the proposal and how it will be used, and stressing the need for the increased revenue. Groups opposing the leeway have also arisen, and started spreading information from their point of view. For the most part, both sides are saying they don't necessarily want to save or kill the leeway, but simply want an informed public making a decision on how they will be taxed and how those tax dollars will be used. That places the decision for the upcoming vote directly in the laps of local residents. With the election two weeks away, it's time to take a good 'look at the arguments for and against the leeway and to make a ! decision. , if -1 Then, on May 7, it will be the responsibility of those residents to go to the polls and make their will known. It is difficult to know if a large turnout will favor or oppose the leeway - but it will be representative of the voice of the people. And that's what counts in any election of this nature. |