Ohioans are going to see something new--- gubernatorial leadership. What is that? It is when the governor leads. Frightening concept? Not really. We've just gotten so accustomed to the 'do nothing' and 'scandal-laced' governorship of Bob Taft.
The Toledo Blade has the story:
Ohio Governor-elect Ted Strickland told the state’s largest teacher union yesterday that he would rebuild public school financing, without explaining what that new edifice would look like.
“All of us are committed to one great goal, and that is to have a system of education in the great state of Ohio that rivals any system in the country that is constitutionally funded,” Mr. Strickland told the more than 1,000 cheering teacher union representatives.
“There is so much work to be done, but the opportunity is great,” said the governor-elect, who staked the success of his administration on giving all students equal access to a “high quality” education.
In an interview after his speech to the Ohio Education Association, Mr. Strickland said his plan would grow out of a consensus from teachers, parents, businessmen, and the Republican-controlled General Assembly. Mr. Strickland did not rule out increasing state taxes nor place a timetable on reforms the Ohio Supreme Court requested nine years ago.
“Accuracy is more important than speed,” said Mr. Strickland, a Democratic congressman from southeast Ohio who captured the governorship in November.
Taking the lead
Mr. Strickland has no intention of forming a “blue ribbon commission” to examine the complex infrastructure of public school financing, which relies primarily on local property taxes, in addition to state and federal taxes.
The ultimate restructuring will come out of gubernatorial leadership, he said.
If the eventual school-funding proposal he submits to the Ohio legislature fails to gain traction with majority Republicans, Mr. Strickland said he intends to push for a ballot issue so the entire state could vote on a plan to level the inequalities among local school districts....
Is Strickland serious? If the Republican controlled legislature fails to act, he'd go straight to the ballot! Oh, my gosh! Strickland sounds like he means to get things done! This is a novel idea for the Ohio government!
