People

When an Oregon woman with the pseudonym "Jane Doe'' filed a lawsuit this past November challenging the constitutionality of a state tax measure, the news media spent a lot of time and space speculating on her identity. In January, to end the guessing game and direct attention to the merits of the case, Diane Savage, a math teacher at Lake Oswego (Ore.) High School, stepped forward and revealed her real identity. She and four other plaintiffs argue in the lawsuit that Measure 5, which allows different property tax rates within the same district, violates the 14th Amendment. Savage says she was not trying to hide that she is a teacher; she just wanted to protect her privacy. But, she admits, "As a career teacher, I was devastated by this measure and its impact on the schools and the quality of life in Oregon. It dramatically reduces the amount of money the school district receives, and takes away local control of the schools.'' At press time, the case had not yet gone to trial.

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