John Banner Blows Whistle on Prevailing WASTE at CPS

Absolutely no reason for new policy except to waste money

Candidate for Cincinnati School Board, John Banner

On August 19, the Cincinnati School Board voted to require a "prevailing wage" for all construction workers involved in the current massive school construction project. COAST calls it "prevailing waste." School Board candidate John Banner has blown the whistle on this foolish new policy.

It is estimated that this change in Board policy will result in an additional $20 million in labor costs, and will unnecessarily limit the pool of bidders and raise overall costs.

Prevailing wage rules were previously banned for school buildings, until appointees of Governor Ted Strickland to the Ohio School Facilities Commission made them optional in 2007.

In a statement released by COAST member and school board candidate John Banner, he calls the vote: "a sellout of the students, parents, and taxpayers of the District, in exchange for union campaign contributions and endorsements. Its vote represents the Board's failure to place the interests of its students before its own."

Banner continued: "It provides further evidence that change is needed in the composition of the Board. Just last week, it approved the hiring of an additional 55 employees and granted administrative raises in the midst of our economy's financial crisis. Apparently, the Board has not received the memo the we are in a recession."

Banner is seeking one of the four slots on the Board in the November elections. He is a Clifton resident, practicing attorney, and Cincinnati Public School parent.

You may e-mail John Banner here, or call him at 513.221.5510 to learn how to help his campaign.

Also, please call or e-mail your school board members (listed below. Since they do not list individual phone numbers or e-mail addresses on the CPS web site, please e-mail them here or call them at 513.363.0040. The School Board is:

President	Eileen Reed
Vice President	Melanie Bates
Member	Eve Bolton
Member	Susan Cranley
Member	Michael Flannery
Member	Catherine D. Ingram
Member	A. Chris Nelms

Some are running for re-election this year, and they have placed a whopping 9.11 mill levy on this fall's ballot (more on that soon). If they refuse to listen, maybe this fall will be time to send them a message or two.