DeRolf

[POAS]

School funding is again in front of the voters of Ohio. Taxpayers are forced again to fund an unconstitutional system because the legislature has refused to act on the Supreme Court's order in the DeRolf case.

I believe it is time to go around the legislature with a citizens petition to put a funding solution directly to the voters of Ohio.

Any DU Ohio pol's or lawyers here care to weigh-in on the feasablility of this idea?

[Eurobabe]

1. Help me out here, what is DeRolf case?

As soon as I get settled in SW OH, I intend to get busy on this issue. I cannot believe that OH is double what we pay in property taxes in VA, something is seriously f'd up out there.

[POAS]

2. DeRolf was a suit brought in SW Ohio

in Licking County if memory serves.

It challenged the property tax funding system and it worked it's way up to the Supremes in 1997(?). The courts ruled that the legislature MUST change the system to make it more equitable for poorer and rural districts. They have ruled in favor of the plaintiffs four times because of repeated appeals by the state.

As of now DeRolf is dead. The supreme court has effectively thrown in the towel because they have no mechanism for enforcement. They can't, for example, throw the legislature in jail for contempt.

[BQueen]

3. In a word -- "Clusterf***k"

POAS gave a good thumbnail description. The details are gut-wrenching. I remember reading an essay/ltte by the kid who brought the suit. What sticks in my memory is that he said he didn't do it for money or for "unfair assistance" for his school -- he just wanted A DESK TO SIT IN!.

This is the most important post-election issue -- we have to take the battle to the legislature on this, they've evaded their responsibility for far too long, and all because they don't want to appear to be raising taxes. Meanwhile pay-for-play is becoming the norm.

The astonishing disparities among the public schools in Ohio are probably as broad as across the US at large. We *are* the test market of America...

This is something I would like to start investigating after the election to see what options are out there -- I remember seeing something about a conference/public forum of students and parents making suggestions, so I'm sure there's been some groundwork done already.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

4. It's killing suburban townships in Ohio

I live in suburban Cincinnati, where we have property taxes that would make you have a heart attack and die. The problem is that we're basically bedroom communties, so both the school district and the township government must rely on property taxes for their financial support. People simply can't afford to pay taxes this high, and they're moving elsewhere -- it's driving down our property values and it's bankrupting our school district. But these same people who support school levies are out their voting Republican for everything else, thus perpetuating our problem. It drives me crazy!

[BQueen]

5. *&#%! Levies

prior to NCLH it was almost impossible to tell if the suburban schools were really "going under" or whether they just didn't want to cut budgets; now they're all REALLY feeling the pinch, and are begging for money. (most rural/urban have always been operating on a shoestring...)

Used to live in suburban Columbus, and Dublin basically blackmailed a levy through by saying "Don't pass it and we don't bus your kids anymore..." (I'm sure Dublin didn't have *any* fat in their program... :eyes:)

Not to mention the need to retake the state and local school boards from the "intelligent design" freaks. Pretty sad when you're paying top dollar for an 18th century education....

I don't even have a dog in this fight -- no real property, no kids (well, not mine...but many I love). But this f***ked up education and funding system has got to go. If it involves more taxes for me, fine -- I've always been hesitant on levy votes for the same reasons: don't know the system enough, and it's not costing *me* anything...

[cmd]

6. The coalition for fair and balanced funding is still working

Remind me after the election and I'll see if I can get you more info. However, keep in mind, you are somewhere around number 10 on my must do after election list. cmd