BY LISA DONOVAN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
A new proposal before Cincinnati City Council would make good on a $100 million commitment to rebuild and repair the city's schools -- but wouldn't say how.
So far, the city has made only a verbal commitment to pay $5 million a year for 20 years, but on Wednesday Mayor Roxanne Qualls and Councilman Charlie Winburn proposed entering a written contract to pay beginning in the year 2000.
The city would decide later how to pay for it.
The city and county agreed to help the schools as part of an agreement for the 1996 countywide vote to raise the sales tax to build new Reds and Bengals stadiums. Hamilton County already has formalized its $100 million commitment to the schools.
City council has been unable to find -- or agree on -- a way to meet the commitment. For nearly three years it has argued whether the money should come from hiking the city's ticket tax or be culled from the general operating fund.
If the full council approves the measure in the coming weeks, it would show that the school funding issue is not at a total impasse.
"What it clearly does for the moment -- it puts aside the question of source, and gives the council the opportunity in truth to fulfill its obligation," Ms. Qualls said.
"This is all the schools need from us," Ms. Qualls said, noting that this is a firm commitment similar to the one the county already has made.
Richard Gardner, school district treasurer, agrees.
"The school district doesn't need, or for that matter, want an understanding of how they're going to fund that commitment," he said.
All the schools need is a commitment that the money will be coming, which allows the issuance of bonds to repair crumbling school buildings. If council approves the contract in coming weeks, the school district could begin working on buildings next summer.
On Wednesday, council also:
- Unanimously approved a contract with firefighters, which calls for 3 percent raises annually through the year 2000.
- Approved an ordinance prohibiting the use of council office resources -- including staff working during regular office hours -- to support or oppose ballot initiatives and referendums.
- Approved a measure that calls on the city to develop an employee incentive plan. The initiative, written by Councilman Phil Heimlich, would make city employees eligible for up to 50 percent of any savings the city realizes from the previous year's budget. The program would require proof that the quality of service has been improved. A team for each of the city's divisions would include the city manager, department and division director, a union representative and a manager.
