BY MICHAEL HAWTHORNE
Enquirer Columbus Bureau
COLUMBUS - Looking to support their new school-funding system in court, state lawmakers plan to set aside $500 million for school repairs and construction during the next two years.
The money will be included in a $1.6 billion capital bill to be introduced in the House today. The measure is expected to move quickly through the General Assembly.
While the bricks-and-mortar budget has money for pro-sports stadiums in Cincinnati and Cleveland, university buildings and various community projects, Gov.-elect Bob Taft and legislative leaders have made school construction their top priority.
Senate President Richard Finan, R-Evendale, said Monday the spending plan is intended to show the Ohio Supreme Court that lawmakers are serious about fixing the state's crumbling school buildings.
"We're spending the money when we've got it," Mr. Finan said.
In March 1997, the court declared Ohio's school funding system inadequate and unconstitutional. It ordered lawmakers to spend more state tax dollars to build and repair school buildings, which a 1996 federal study determined are the worst in the 50 states.
Lawmakers have spent more than $1 billion on school construction since a coalition of school districts sued the state in 1991. But the estimated need is $16.5 billion, according to the non-partisan Legislative Budget Office.
Mr. Finan said the new money will be distributed by the Ohio School Facilities Commission to property-poor school districts. Cincinnati and most other urban districts won't qualify for the money because the districts have higher property values.
Since the facilities commission was created last year, it has been gradually funding projects off a list of the poorest districts. Southwest Ohio districts that could get money include Goshen and Bethel-Tate in Clermont County.
Some of the money - $262 million - already has been promised to 13 school districts that passed bond levies Nov. 3 to help finance building projects.
It's unclear what, if any, effect the extra money will have on the state's defense of its new funding system. State leaders are awaiting a ruling by Judge Linton D. Lewis Jr. of Perry County Common Pleas Court.
