CPS files Answer to COAST Complaint

CPS attorneys seem to have taken a page out of the CFT playbook; demanding a right for public employees to use public resource for their political advocacy.

Sadly, we are never surprised when "public servants" demand to be the masters of the taxpayers.  No doubt in fifty years, there will be television docudramas about the "Upstairs/Downstairs" nature of the taxpayers' coexistence with their nominal servants.  Spoiler alert: it won't have a happy ending.

Read CPS' answer to our complaint below.

COAST v CPS Answer

Update - Teachers Union Seeking to use Public Resources for Campaigning

As we reported earlier, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers seeks to intervene in our lawsuit against CPS, arguing that teachers have a Constitutional Right to use public school resources to further their political agenda.

Today's Enquirer covers the story as well.  COAST attorney Chris Finney is quoted "It's outrageous the position they're [CFT] taking." Read the entire article below.
Teachers Union Seeks Right to Campaign Using School Resources

Update: Cincinnati Enquirer now has the story on their website.  Click here to read and comment.

Teachers Union Seeks to Intervene in CPS Lawsuit

The Cincinnati Federation of Teachers has filed a motion in the latest COAST/Cincinnati Public Schools litigation seeking to establish a right in public employees to campaign while on the job and while on public property.  A 2002 Agreement between CPS and COAST prohibits that misuse of public resources.  The latest legal maneuver by the CFT seeks to have portions of that Agreement declared unconstitutional. CFT Motion to Intervene As COAST reported here, for the third time in a decade, COAST sued CPS in October for campaigning using tax dollars.  The most recent suit arose from the 2012 CPS tax levy campaign in which volunteers were recruited through the schools and donations were funneled through the Superintendent's office, all using taxpayer resources.

The latest suit seeks to enforce a 2002 settlement agreement arising from the use of schoolyards to post pro-levy signs.  In 2010, COAST sued under that same agreement when it learned CPS was busing Hughes High School Students to the Board of Elections for early voting (during the school day), instructing them to vote the Democrat Party ticket, and then rewarding them with Graeters ice cream afterwards. The 2012 suit was filed because, as a result of public records obtained by COAST; and other information provided to COAST, CPS was again caught red-handed using tax dollars for campaign purposes -- something that is both illegal and a violation of the 2002 Agreement.

Last week, the CFT filed its lengthy motion to intervene as a party in the in the COAST/CPS litigation seeking to have portions of the 2002 Agreement declared void because it allegedly violates the "right" of CPS employees to campaign either while on public time or on CPS property.  It is those two things that the 2002 Agreement expressly prohibits. COASTers may recall that in 2011, it sued Council member Luare Quinlivan for her illegal use of public employees and public property in her Council office to run her Cincinnati City Council campaign.  In that litigation, Quinlivan amazingly sued the City in an effort to establish a constitutional right for her to abuse public resources to advance her own campaign.  That suit is remarkably similar to the latest CFT motion.  Ultimately, she settled by accepting a permanent injunction against such illegal conduct, dismissing her action and reimbursing the City for her use of public resources. "We obviously have hit a nerve," said COAST Chairman Tom Brinkman.  "Demo-Labor establishment has a long history in misusing taxpayer resources to campaign for liberal democrats and higher taxes.  COAST has employed broad political, media and legal strategies to expose and stop this abuse of tax dollars.  The fact that CFT is fighting so hard to maintain this illegal privilege is testimony to the need of COAST to be vigilant on all fronts against this pernicious conduct." The COAST/CPS litigation is in front of Judge Steve Martin.  He also will hear the CFT Motion to intervene.

SORTA is next...they want more of your money.

This is a big deal.

There is no question that public transportation is an absolute mess in Cincinnati and Hamilton County.  Fares are up, service is dramatically reduced, and SORTA is facing massive deficits.

So, if you were a SORTA Board member in the midst of this mess, what would you do?  Of course, you'd agree to take over operations of the money-losing streetcar and make your fiscal mess even worse.

That's exactly what happened, despite warnings from COAST, our local Congressman, County Commissioners, members of the Ohio legislature, Governor Kasich, the Police Union, the Firefighters Union, the CODE Labor Union, the NAACP, the Baptist Ministers, and Westwood Concern.

Now, SORTA is making its "move."  It is conducting a phone survey of Hamilton County residents.  A COASTer received the call last night.  The survey consisted of a few dozen questions all of which circled back to, "would you support a tax increase if it would allow SORTA to create or expand xyz service."  Undoubted the survey is at taxpayer expense, and undoubtedly it is part of a plan to put a tax increase before the voters this fall.

And you can be assured that COAST will mount a withering offensive to fight this confiscatory tax for a poorly-led agency that could be doing good work. In short, we will make sure SORTA pays a dear price for their foolish support of the streetcar.  And this tax push is the place to start that.