Friday, February 25, 2000
Luken steps in to help schools
TV spots backing levies begin today
BY PHILLIP PINA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati's top vote-getter is putting his high-profile name and energy into passing the city's school levies on the primary ballot.
Mayor Charlie Luken has been serving as honorary chairman of the effort to pass Cincinnati Public Schools' two levies March 7. He's on pamphlets in the mail. He speaks at civic functions. And beginning today, he takes his pitch to the television airwaves.
When there is someone as well-liked and respected as Mr. Luken backing you, you get him involved, said John Gilligan, a Cincinnati school board member and former governor of Ohio. It helps that Mr. Luken is popular at the polls, handily winning the mayor's seat in November.
“He is far and away the most widely respected and popular political leader in the city,” Mr. Gilligan said.
Cincinnati schools are seeking a 6.5-mill levy on the March ballot. And voters are also being asked to combine and renew two current levies totaling about 10.9 mills. The two ballot issues total about $100 million a year.
School leaders have called their passage critical to future reforms throughout the district. If approved, the renewal issue would not change tax bills. The 6.5-mill increase, though, would boost the annual tax bill on a $75,000 house about $150.
Today begins the first of about 150 television spots, each 30 seconds long, backers have bought to push for the levies' passage. The advertisements feature Mr. Luken in a classroom as well as before the city's skyline. His message is that the city's future depends on the school system.
“The commercial is about the need to improve public education if we are going to be a great city,” Mr. Luken said. “Everybody recognizes that the schools are not where they should be.”
It is public dissatisfaction that most people point to when they explain the November defeat of a 4.5-mill levy for the district.
Student scores on standardized tests are too low for the amount of money pouring into the school district, said Tom Brinkman Jr., founder of the Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes. The group challenged the November levy, and is challenging March's levies as well.
The COAST campaign has been focusing on mailings as well as radio spots, Mr. Brinkman said. Television is too expensive, he said. Levy backers would not say how much the television spots cost.
As for Mr. Luken's effect on the ballot initiative: “This is the same mayor who has criticized the schools saying they are driving people out of the city,” Mr. Brinkman said.
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