Democrats get a say in policy on school funds

3/22/2001

COLUMBUS - Senate and House Democrats will have seats at the negotiating table as Governor Taft and Republican legislative leaders work on a new school-funding proposal.

The decision was made yesterday in a closed-door meeting involving Mr. Taft, Senate President Richard Finan (R., Evendale), House Speaker Larry Householder (R., Glenford), House Minority Leader Jack Ford (D., Toledo), and Senate Minority Leader Leigh Herington (D., Kent).

Those talks began when Mr. Taft vowed to veto the legalization of video gambling machines at horse racing tracks.

The legislature faces a June 15 deadline to submit a plan that complies with the state Supreme Court's May, 2000, decision. It called for a system that relies less on local real-estate taxes.