BY SANDY THEIS
Enquirer Columbus Bureau
COLUMBUS -- With school beginning and Ohio's school funding system on trial, candidates for governor are re-emphasizing education.
Republican candidate Bob Taft debuted a TV commercial Monday -- his third this season -- and it's all about schools. He plans a press conference today to announce a proposal to improve teaching.
Lee Fisher, the Democratic candidate, plans a school-related press event, too, later this week.
The Taft campaign spot, which begins in most TV markets today, talks of beefing up discipline, improving reading skills and appointing "an education watchdog to make sure lottery dollars are really spent on education."
Although the Ohio Constitution requires lottery money be spent on education, the Taft commercial appears to play into the public's false impression that the money is being spent elsewhere.
Taft spokesman Brett Buerck conceded some of the watchdog's duties would include public relations.
"If you talk to Ohioans in any part of the state . . . there is a concern that lottery money isn't being spent the way it should," he said. "Aren't you supposed to -- as a public servant -- address what the people want you to? Part of the duties of a leader is hearing the people's calls for action and answering those calls."
The watchdog would be employed by the state auditor, he said, and would recommend ways to reduce the lottery's overhead costs, so more profits could be directed to the schools.
In the past school year, the lottery provided about $729.8 million for schools, about 14.5 percent of their total budget.
Mistrust of the lottery surfaced during May's debate on Issue 2, a ballot proposal that called for raising the state sales tax a penny a dollar and earmarking proceeds for schools and school buildings. Voters defeated it by about 4-to-1.
The plan was part of the legislature's response to an Ohio Supreme Court order that mandates major changes in the way money is raised, spent and borrowed for public schools.
Judge Linton Lewis of Perry County Common Pleas Court opened hearings Monday to determine whether other changes made are sufficient. Mr. Taft thinks the new system is constitutional. Mr. Fisher does not, arguing it fails to meet the court mandate to end the over-reliance on local property taxes.
Also Monday, the two candidates for governor agreed to a series of debates.
In May, Mr. Fisher challenged Mr. Taft to at least five debates. Mr. Taft has agreed to what he contends is six debates. Fisher supporters, however, say two of the six should not be counted because they are joint appearances before newspaper editorial boards, not debates.
The two also disagree on whether Reform Party nominee John Mitchell and Independent candidate Zanna Feitler should be allowed to participate. "If their names are on the ballot, we think they should participate," Mr. Buerck said.
Alan Melamed, Mr. Fisher's campaign chairman, said Mr. Fisher agrees with the League of Women Voters' standard that asserts debates should be open to candidates who a reputable poll shows have support of at least 15 percent of the voters.
