Governor's veto will hurt schools: Grendell

COLUMBUSGov. Ted Strickland's line-item budget veto of permanently providing CAT tax funds to local schools is the single worst thing he has done in office, according to state Sen. Tim Grendell

Grendell sponsored the budget amendment that would have provided schools with an extra funding cushion to make up the loss of school funding from taxes on business personal tangible property.

Those taxes were eliminated, but the state is replacing those funds. Starting in 2011, however, that state money will be phased out.

This means a potential loss to Kenston schools of about $4.8 million that year, and a loss of about $380,000 to West Geauga schools.

"Frankly we were surprised by the governor's action," West G school Superintendent Anthony Podojil said. "For districts such as Kenston and Middlefield, with a larger commercial and industrial base, this funding was critical."

Reached by phone on Monday, Podojil said he was on his way to a meeting in Columbus to better understand his school's funding situation.

"I've heard two things -- that the cuts take effect in fiscal year 2011 2012, and that they take effect in fiscal year 2010 2011," he said. "For budgeting purposes, we need to know the timing."

Podojil said the state requires schools to update their 5-year forecast any time there is a change.

This means that in year three of the current forecast, schools that rely heavily on taxes from industry could show red ink or major cutbacks.

Grendell said the governor's veto punishes high-performing suburban schools.

He said the governor kept his mandatory all-day kindergarten and his classroom teacher-to-student ratio of 15:1, and took away funding -- creating an increased tax burden on residential property owners to pay for additional teachers.

"This is going to cost Geauga County schools and ultimately homeowners millions of dollars," Grendell said....