Sunday, December 22, 2002
The speaker rejects funding by income tax, contending 'It would make Ohio terribly uncompetitive and it would hurt the economy.'
By JEFF ORTEGA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBUS -- Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder says he plans to convene a bipartisan group of House members next month to look into improvements to the way the state funds public schools.
The group, which is still to be named, will be similar to a group convened two years ago that led to the current funding method, which combines state support with local property taxes, but the group will now only look at what the Perry County Republican called refinements.
"It was a little different from two years ago when we were looking for a plan," the speaker said in a recent end-of-the year interview.
"Now we've got a plan in place. A lot of it's already done and now it's more of ideas and suggestions as to how to bring about the refinements that are needed," Householder said.
Key provisions of the school-funding mechanism in place now included boosts in per-pupil spending. An additional layer of funding was included for some public school systems, called "parity aid," that would pay for items deemed beyond an adequate education.
Householder's comments came after the Ohio Supreme Court's latest ruling in the school-funding lawsuit.
Overhaul ordered
In a 4-3 ruling earlier this month, the high court ordered a "systematic overhaul" of the system that splits funding for schools between state money and local property taxes.
The high court also ended its jurisdiction in the case, meaning that any further action may have to stem from a new lawsuit.
"I think we're on track for a constitutional system," Householder said. "We're just not there yet. ... I think there are some refinements that need to be made."
One issue Householder said officials will continue to try to address is what the high court has called an over-reliance on local property taxes in funding public schools.
That reliance has led to inequities between so-called "rich" and "poor" school systems, the court ruled. Householder said the state has tried to make up for that primarily through additional state money.
"One of the problems you have is, is there an alternative?" Householder said. "People say the sales tax. ... It would make Ohio terribly uncompetitive and it would hurt the economy," he said. "Income tax is much the same way."
Plaintiff's response
Bill Phillis, executive director of the Coalition for Equity & amp; Adequacy of School Funding, the group that brought the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state's school-funding mechanism 11 years ago, said the state has to act immediately to make a "systematic overhaul" of school funding.
"This decision is about a systematic overhaul," Phillis said. "That's what we believe."
The school-funding decision is just one of the challenging issues Householder will face in the new Legislature that is seated next month.
Householder will lead a GOP caucus next year that will outnumber Democrats 62-37. The current split is 59-40.
Still, even with a commanding majority, Householder is preaching bipartisanship.
Incoming House Democratic leaders say they are taking Householder at his word.
"He has made it clear to me that he wants to work with me," said House Minority Leader-elect Chris Redfern of Catawba Island. "I, at this point, have no reason not to believe him."
"I certainly hope that he's going to follow through with that," said state Rep. John Boccieri, a Mahoning County Democrat and the incoming Assistant House minority whip. "We represent 4 million people in the state of Ohio. We're their voice."
Budget challenges
Householder said the new two-year state budget that must be in place by July may pose problems for lawmakers trying to balance preserving state services with declining tax collections because of a slower state and national economy.
"Our next budgetary cycle is going to be a real challenge," Householder said. "Ohio's economy is not where we would like it to be. There are going to be some deficits here as far as state government is concerned."