PREVENTING PROPERTY TAX REVOLTS

WHEREAS, a disastrous number of recent school budget defeats in places like Long Island and New Jersey could be a harbinger of a national revolt against property taxes; and

WHEREAS, Reagan and Bush tax policies have increasingly forced states to shift the tax burden from general income tax to more regressive local property taxes; and

WHEREAS, such tax "shifting" is adversely affecting towns, localities and school districts in particular; and

WHEREAS, many states are now facing serious budget deficits:

RESOLVED, that AFT develop contingency plans for use across the country to head off local tax revolts; and

RESOLVED, that AFT ask AFL-CIO to join coalitions to examine and publicize the adverse effects of tax shifting; and

RESOLVED, that AFT continue to highlight and expose the political hypocrisy and economic stupidity of proclaiming the urgent need for quality education while refusing to increase federal financial aid; and

RESOLVED, that AFT continue to push Congress to make available so-called "peace dividend" savings for educational initiatives, particularly in urban areas with large concentrations of at-risk children.