Most Chicagoans oppose an increase May 23, 2001 BY NANCY MOFFETT STAFF REPORTER More than two-thirds of Chicagoans in a poll taken Tuesday opposed raising property taxes to make up a $75 million gap between projected school expenses and revenues. The other third either supported (21 percent) or were not sure (12 percent) about the need for a tax hike when they responded to a CBS 2/Chicago Sun-Times survey. The poll of 500 Chicagoans also found that 35 percent of respondents felt their neighborhood schools have improved overall in the last five years, while 38 percent said they had stayed about the same. Less than a quarter (23 percent) said they got worse, while 4 percent were not sure. The school system's CEO, Paul Vallas, got a failing grade from only 7 percent of those who participated in the survey, while another 10 percent gave him a grade of D. Almost three-quarters--73 percent--gave him an A, B or C. He got 16 percent A's, 30 percent B's and 27 percent C's. Overall, 46 percent of whites, blacks and Hispanics gave Vallas either an A or B grade. But he got A's from 20 percent of whites and only 11 percent of Hispanics and 13 percent of African Americans. Physical improvements at their neighborhood schools in the last five years also left 67 percent of the respondents either "very satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied." The poll, conducted by Survey USA, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points. *** -- This is the CPS Science Teacher List. To unsubscribe, send a message to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For more information: <http://home.sprintmail.com/~mikelach/subscribe.html>. To search the archives: <http://www.mail-archive.com/science%40lists.csi.cps.k12.il.us/>
