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Opposition to voucher expansion has doubled to more than 170

Only a month has passed since we last published the long list of local communities opposing the statewide expansion of vouchers contained in the Governor's budget. But in that short period of time, the number of school districts passing a resolution in opposition has now passed 170.

Here's the list.

Adena local Lorain County ESC
Allen East Local Lordstown Local
Anthony Wayne Local Loudonville-Perrysville
Antwerp Local Louisville City
Athens City Lynchburg-Clay Local
Austintown Local Madeira City
Barnesville EV Mahoning County C&TC
Bath Local Manchester Local
Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Marietta City
Belmont-Harrison Vocational Mathews Local
Belpre City Miami County ESC
Berea City Miamisburg City
Big Walnut Local Millecreek West Unity
Bloom-Carroll Local Milton-Union Local
Bloomfield-Mespo Local Minford Local
Bluffton EV Monroeville Local
Boardman Local Morgan Local
Bridgeport Muskingum Valley ESC
Bristol Local National Trail Local
Brown Local Nelsonville-York City
Brown County ESC New Lexington City
Buckeye Local (Jefferson) New Richmond
Caldwell EV New Riegel
Campbell City Newcomerstown EV
Chagrin Falls EV Newbury Local
Chillicothe City Noble Local
Chippewa Local North Olmsted
Circleville City Northern Local
Clay Local Northmont City
Clinton-Massie Local Northwest Local (Scioto
Clyde Green Springs Northwestern Local
Columbiana County ESC Northwood Local
Columbiana EV Oak Hill Union Local
Coshocton City Oak Hills Local
Coshocton County JVS Oakwood City
Coventry Oberlin Local
Crestline EV Ohio Valley ESC
Crestview Local Old Fort Local
Crooksville EV Ottawa-Glandorf
Cuyahoga Falls Parma City
Cuyahoga Heights Put-in-Bay Local
Dublin City Revere Local
East Guernsey Local Ridgedale Local
East Liverpool City Ripley Union Lewis Huntington
Eastern Local (Meigs) River View Local
Eastern Local (Pike) Ross Local
Fairbanks Ross-Pike ESC
Fairborn City St. Clairsville-Richland City
Fairfield Union St. Marys City
Fayetteville-Perry Local Sandusky City
Federal Hocking Local Sheffield-Sheffield Lake
Felicity-Franklin Local Shelby City
Findlay City South Central Ohio ESC
Firelands Local South Range Local
Fort Frye Southeast Local (Portage)
Fort Loramie Local Southern Local
Franklin Local Southern Ohio ESC
Galion City Southington Local (Lucas)
Gallipolis City Springfield Local (Summit)
Garaway Local Southwest Local
Geneva Area City Springfield Local
Genoa Area Local Springfield City
Goshen Local Streetsboro City
Graham Sylvania Local
Grand Valley Local Trimble Local
Granville EV Trumbull Career & Tech
Green Local (Franklin Furnace) Tuscarawas Vlley Local
Greenfield EV Tuslaw Local
Hardin-Houston Local Union Local
Huber Heights City Urbana City
Huntington Local Vanlue Local
Indian Creek Local Vantage Career Center
Indian Valley Local Van Wert City
Jackson City Vinton County Local
James A. Garfield Local Warren City
Jennings Local Warren Local
Kalida Local Washington Local
Kenston Local Washington-Nile
Keystone Local Waverly
LaBrae Local Wayne County Career Center
Lancaster City Wayne Local
Leetonia EV Wellston City
Liberty Local West Muskingum
Licking County ESC Wheelersburg
Lincolnview Local Williamsburg Local
Lisbon EV Yellow Springs EV
Logan-Hocking Local Zane Trace Local
Zanesville City

When endorsements go wrong

Toledo Mayor Mike Bell (I), is probably regretting his ill-conceived endorsement of SB5 right about now. No sooner had his claims about the benefits of SB5 been debunked as nonsense, and it revealed he was laid off as a firefighter before collective bargaining existed, now the attention he has brought himself has landed him in some ethical hot water.

The chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party has asked the Ohio Ethics Commission to investigate the $656,000 in federal grants and loans the city of Toledo has awarded to a development company owned by Mayor Mike Bell's niece.

In a brief letter yesterday, Chris Redfern, the party's chairman, formally requested the ethics commission "to commence an investigation into the contractual relationship that exists between the City of Toledo and Shayla Bell."

Ms. Bell, 27, started Fort Industry Development shortly after her uncle took office in January, 2010. Since then, the city has awarded Ms. Bell's company five contracts to buy, rehabilitate, and sell foreclosed homes. The rehabilitation work itself is performed by a general contractor. Fort Industry also is to receive two more contracts, which would bring the total close to $1 million.

"I think it's clear that Shayla Bell wouldn't have received one penny if her last name wasn't Bell," Mr. Redfern said.

City officials dispute that claim. Mayor Bell has said his niece earned the contracts on her own initiative with no assistance from him. She had to qualify with the city's neighborhoods department to begin receiving the contracts.

She had no prior construction or development experience, but she teamed up with two businessmen from an established commercial and industrial glass company in creating Fort Industry. That gave the firm the experiences and financial wherewithal to qualify for the program, neighborhoods department staff has said.

Is it any wonder that people are sick and tired of politicians taking care of themselves and their special interests while attacking hard working people?

Vote NO on Issue 2