Friday, October 29, 1999
Anti-tax group revs up efforts against CPS levy
BY DANA DiFILIPPO
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Anti-tax activists launched an aggressive campaign Thursday against Cincinnati Public Schools' proposed $24 million levy, airing chatty commercials on three AM stations and posting signs in yards citywide.
The Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST) is spending $20,000 in its efforts to defeat the 4.5-mill levy, most of which is a tax increase. The radio ads — which cost $12,000 alone — will run through Election Day Nov. 2.
That's peanuts compared to the nearly $300,000 levy supporters have raised so far to campaign. Cincinnatians Active to Support Education spent about $151,000 on TV ads, $7,800 on radio ads and $10,200 on 8,000 yard signs, campaign director Brewster Rhoads said.
But COAST founder Tom Brinkman Jr. says it doesn't take much to persuade voters to oppose taxes.
“People don't like taxes,” the Mount Lookout resident said. “Plus, the public is extremely cynical about their leaders.”
CASE's campaign has focused on results, saying achievement isn't at the level it should be, but continues to improve.
But as CASE trumpets the district's gains, Mr. Brinkman said, they mislead the public because they fail to mention those results are so abysmal that Ohio officials classified CPS an academic emergency in recent district report cards.
Mr. Brinkman and his supporters historically have used words — not money — to defeat levies, frequenting talk shows and community meetings to verbally tussle with levy supporters.
Last spring, they spent just $193 — for anti-tax fliers put on windshields — against a $64 million levy Hamilton County sought for a new emergency communication system. It lost by 3,000 votes.
Their 1997 campaign against the Cincinnati Zoo's proposed $51.5 million levy cost them nothing. Voters defeated the levy overwhelmingly, but approved a $31 million levy the next year.
In 1993, they spent about $8,000 — mostly on lawn signs — to fight a $348 million bond issue CPS sought, Mr. Brinkman said. It lost by 20,000 votes.
But CASE supporters say they aren't worried about their critics.
“Twenty thousand dollars? That reflects the breadth of the grass-roots support: It's shallow,” Mr. Rhoads said.
“It's easy to rave against taxes. Cincinnati needs people who want to make schools work and improve them, not tear them down.”
The levy would cost the owner of a $75,000 house $103 annually. CPS administrators say they would spend the money to cover inflation, restore a $180-per-pupil cut and fix facilities.
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