Candidates discuss school funding

Ohio's school funding crisis was an issue for the candidates.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND -- State legislative candidates expressed a variety of opinions on the shifting of funding burdens from the financially troubled state government to local jurisdictions, which must try to raise local taxes to make ends meet.
The candidates spoke at an election forum attended by several dozen people Monday evening at the Poland branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County.
"Of the 612 school districts, 550 of them sued the State of Ohio because they couldn't afford to educate their children. We have a serious problem," said State Sen. Robert F. Hagan, D-33rd. "The Republicans in the last 12 years increased property tax by 90 percent at the local level, because they said, 'We'll let them do what they want to do at the local level,'" Hagan said.
"I believe it is up to a local community to determine the best means of educating their children. I believe that it's the parents and the community that knows best how to spend the money and how to improve their school system," said Holly Hanni, his Republican opponent. "Politics belong at home, and decisions belong there too," she added.
"As your property values, both commercial and residential, increase, you get less money from the state," State Rep. John Boccieri, D-57th (new 61st), said of school funding in Ohio.
Republican plan
Republican legislative leaders have proposed a plan under which receiving more state money is contingent on local school districts' spending more money.
"That doesn't make sense for school districts that are already operating in the red," he said. Boccieri called for less reliance on property taxes to fund schools.
"I am a major fan of local control of government," said Randy Pope, his Republican opponent. Local voters have much more access to local school board members than to state legislators, he said. However, he said, "I believe that we need to move away from the property tax as the major arm for funding our schools, and that we need to look at ways of using our income tax system."
Too much
"I have no problem with local control. But don't give me local control after you cut off my money. Now, you're putting everything on the locals. Local control with state and federal assistance is not a problem," said Sylvester Patton, D-64th (new 60th).
As the state faces a budget crunch, there's more emphasis on local control of public money, he said. However, he added that state funding to local jurisdictions is being reduced, and the flow of federal money to the states is slowing down.
"I am in favor of not raising taxes at the state level in order to allow people to have more money to pay possibly higher taxes and decide how the money should be spent at the local level," said William W. Sicafuse, Patton's Republican opponent.
With local control of the money, voters have much more influence and are much better able to assure accountability on the local level than at the state level, Sicafuse said.
"Townships are not allowed to have income tax," said Kenneth A. Carano, D-65th (new 59th district), whose district consists of townships for a large part. "Property tax wouldn't be bad if the property tax could stay here.
But what happens is, we give our money to the state, and it gives it to Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland," he added.
His Republican opponent, Paul Alberty, did not attend the forum because of a business commitment.