What pikers. As much as a half-million dollars could be spent to sell a May 6 bond issue for Cincinnati Public Schools that would pour $1 billion into local construction jobs.

And the unions have contributed just $6,200, according to the April 23 campaign finance report from Citizens Active to Support Education.

Kroger donated $42,000. Western Southern and Cinergy gave $17,500 each. Toyota and PNC Bank each donated $10,500.

Three architectural firms that hope to score big contracts donated $4,500. They could make it back 10 times over.

The jackpot of jobs

The AFL-CIO, which would benefit most from 2,300 new jobs, donated $200. The Greater Cincinnati Building Trades, which would hit the Mega-Powerball jackpot of jobs, chipped in $1,000. The Cincinnati Federation of Teachers donated $5,000.

AFL-CIO President Dan Radford said the unions will show up stronger in the June 13 report. His union runs phone banks and sends postcards to get out the vote, he said.

But it's fair to ask: What are the unions giving back? I'm not just talking about cash.

I've toured the schools. I've seen a few rat holes, and I've seen perfectly good schools that will be torn down to fit the state's demands. What I haven't seen is a promise that CPS won't dismantle reforms as it builds new schools.

And some things I've seen are not reassuring.

Why is CPS spending about $250,000 for a special election when the system could get it on the ballot for $40,000 in November?

Why can't CPS get by with the $350 million it has to replace 17 schools, and come back later when it can handle more?

If the levy passes, will CPS care what voters think?

The unions have already reneged on merit pay, which was promised to pass an earlier levy. They blocked managed competition and tried to muscle the Democratic Party into dumping CPS board member Rick Williams, to capture a majority on the board next fall.

New Superintendent Alton Frailey spent $120,000 to force out his PR director just before a levy.

Strongly ambivalent

And then there's the lead-paint panic. What a coincidence that CPS found 70 buildings with "hazardous'' lead paint just before a levy election.

The lame excuse was that CPS didn't have the money to repaint years ago. I guess salaries were more important than kids' safety.

CPS could have repaired those schools. But like so many maintenance tasks, it was left to slide and buildings decayed from neglect.

Turning around CPS is like doing a U-turn with a battleship in the Ohio River. Former Superintendent Steve Adamowski pulled it off. Board President Sally Warner says the reforms are not slipping. But the CPS board is always just one vote away from throwing the engines into reverse.

I'm firmly ambivalent. There are strong arguments on both sides. If this levy passes, good for CPS. But taxpayers who make the sacrifice have a right to ask: When will the unions contribute something besides demands and pocket change?

E-mail pbronson@enquirer.com or call 768-8301.