[Peace] Fifth annual march urges passage of tax hike for the poor

[Jenifer Cartwright]

Unfortunate timing, w/ everyone scared to death about the US (and their own) finances...
 
This is the info/sentence that should be headlined:
Champaign County Referendum: Help for the poorest of the poor in Champaign County would add $10 a year to real estate bill for homes valued at $150,000
 --Jenifer


--- On Fri, 10/3/08, Brian Dolinar <briandolinar at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Brian Dolinar <briandolinar at gmail.com>
Subject: [Peace] Fifth annual march urges passage of tax hike for the poor
To: announce at communitycourtwatch.org, "AWARE peace" <peace at lists.chambana.net>, stop at iresist.org, coalition at iresist.org
Date: Friday, October 3, 2008, 8:01 AM





Fifth annual march urges passage of tax hike for the poor

By Paul Wood 
Friday October 3, 2008
CHAMPAIGN – The fifth annual Unity March, advocating a tax increase to help the poor, will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday.
One of the organizers, Aaron Ammons, said the prime focus this year will be a November ballot question that could result in a higher rate of City of Champaign Township assistance.
The township has the same boundaries as the city of Champaign. The march kicks off at the City of Champaign Township office at Green and Randolph streets.
Ammons said about 150 people usually march, and additional bicyclists and pedestrians join as it nears its conclusion in Douglass Park, where a rally will be held.
"The purpose has always been to bring people together in the community to network, and celebrate the accomplishment of the last year, and to look forward to the challenges for next year," Ammons said. "This year is to specifically try to shed light on the referendum."
He urges voters to say yes to the ballot question, which would raise the township's tax rate by 2 cents.
"When the citizens put it on ballot in the (February non-binding) referendum primary, 71 percent said they would support it," Ammons said.
The township's property tax levy is significantly lower than comparable townships in the state, proponents say.
"We haven't had much feedback from the city council, (whose members also make up the township board)" he said. "But I believe it has a good chance of passing. I know that it's a hard time to ask for money, but it's a minimal cost we're being asked to pitch in."
The increase would be about $10 a year for a home valued at $150,000, proponents note.
The march is organized by Champaign Urbana Citizens for Peace and Justice.
Sponsors include: AWARE, Radio Liberacion!, Prairie Green Party, Central Illinois Jobs With Justice, School for Designing a Society, Urbana-Champaign Friends Meeting and Central Illinois Industrial Workers of the World.-- 
Brian Dolinar, Ph.D.
303 W. Locust St.
Urbana, IL 61801
briandolinar at gmail.com
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