The Denver City Council added the proposal for a increase in sales tax for early childhood education to the November ballot last night, according to the Denver Post. From the article, "The Denver City Council agreed Monday to put a proposed sales tax to fund early childhood education on the November ballot. The measure passed on a 10-1 vote, with Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz casting the sole dissenting vote. Members Marcia Johnson and Kathleen MacKenzie were absent. None of the 15 people who spoke out on the proposal expressed opposition, although Kim Ursetta of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association said teachers were concerned that private, as well as public, preschool programs could receive money under the plan. The program would collect $12 million a year by raising the sales tax by 0.12 of a percentage point to 7.72 percent, an extra 12 cents on every $100 purchase. A panel appointed by Mayor John Hickenlooper spent more than two years crafting the proposal that would give parents of 4-year-olds tuition for the preschool of their choice based on the parents' income and the quality of the provider. Providers also would get funds...
"Faatz said she had reservations because her constituents did not want to see taxes increase, and they feared some of the funds would go toward illegal immigrants. She said she also feared too much would be spent on administrative costs."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
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