To improve the town’s overcrowded school system, the town council has

ARGUMENT
[plan] To improve the system, the town plans to increase property taxes for certain homes;
[con] The plan will fail, since such homes won't receive any benefit from this.

STRENGTHEN PLAN

Ans (D) although certain homeowners won't receive the benefit from better schools, their properties will!

The right answer is D.

Premise: To improve the town’s overcrowded school system, the town council has proposed an ambitious education plan to reduce classroom size and make capital improvements—a plan they intend to pay for with an increase in property taxes for homes valued over $500,000.
Conclusion: Although the school system desperately needs improving, the town council’s plan should be defeated because the majority of the people who would end up paying for the improvements receive no benefit from them.

Basically, the question stem is asking us to weaken the argument above since the author concludes that the town council's plan should be defeated because the majority of the people who would end up paying for the improvements receive no benefit from them. To weaken the argument, we need an answer choice that suggests to the contrary that the majority of those who will end up paying for the improvements will actually derive some benefit from the program.

D states that smaller class sizes and capital improvements in a school system tend to increase property values in the surrounding community. So if it is true that smaller class sizes and capital improvements in a school system will lead to increase property values, then owners of properties will see an upsurge in the value of their properties. This will mean that contrary to the conclusion drawn by the author of the argument, most, if not all, of the those who will pay for the improvements will derive some benefits from the project. D therefore weakens the argument.

conclusion:Although the school system desperately needs improving, the town council’s plan should be defeated because the majority of the people who would end up paying for the improvements receive no benefit from them.

IMO B ;Paying for the school system improvements using existing town funds will result in shortfalls that will force the town into arrears.
gives an alternate reasoning and weakens conclusion


To improve the town’s overcrowded school system, the town council has proposed an ambitious education plan to reduce classroom size and make capital improvements—a plan they intend to pay for with an increase in property taxes for homes valued over $500,000. Although the school system desperately needs improving, the town council’s plan should be defeated because the majority of the people who would end up paying for the improvements receive no benefit from them.

Which of the following, if true, provides the town council with the strongest counter to the objection that its plan is unfair?

(A) Even with the proposed increase, property taxes in the town are well below the national average.

(B) Paying for the school system improvements using existing town funds will result in shortfalls that will force the town into arrears.

(C) The teachers in the town’s school system receive some of the lowest salary packages in the immediate area, which is a major cause of attrition.

(D) Smaller class sizes and capital improvements in a school system tend to increase property values in the surrounding community.

(E) A feasibility study has shown that the cost of the improvements will likely be 20% higher than projected.

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:

The author says the plan is unfair to the people who must pay for it. How do we counter that? By showing that they actually do receive a benefit. Before we weaken the author’s argument, let’s eliminate any answers that strengthen it. In this case, that means only choice (E).

Now, choice (A) points out that property taxes would still be quite low even after the increase, but that doesn’t mean the increase is fair.

Choice (B) tells us why an alternate way to finance the improvements won’t work, but doesn’t address the fairness of the way being discussed.

Choice (C) tells us why the funds are urgently needed, but again doesn’t show that the people who have to supply the funds actually would receive a benefit.

Choice (D) finally gives us a reason the property tax increase might actually benefit those who pay for it: Good schools translates to higher property values.