TPS levy campaign calamity

TOLEDO, Ohio (WUPW) - Toledo Public Schools appears to be under fire once again for a letter sent to businesses seeking campaign cash.

District officials, knowingly or not, may be breaking state election laws, because public employees on the clock and public assets being used are taboo in levy campaigns.

TPS critics say it's been going on for years, and are calling it illegal.

A fundraising letter was signed by new Superintendent Dr. Jerome Pecko. Angela Jordan, treasurer of the pro-levy Committee for Schools, is his secretary. Jordan says she uses her own time to work on the campaign: lunch hours, nights, weekends, and even has a separate office computer for levy business.

But the letter is seeking donations from businesses. The letter is requesting support checks to be sent to 420 E. Manhattan Blvd., which is school district headquarters.

State law says using public assets is forbidden in levy campaigns.

"This building is obviously owned by the taxpayers, so I see it as illegal and the letter is probable a violation of state law," said Steven Flagg, TPS urban coalition watchdog group.

TPS has a 7.8-mill levy on the November general election ballot.

School board member Larry Sykes saw the letter and basically had no problem with it. He did promise to check its legality with the superintendent. Sykes said Dr. Pecko should never have signed it and should have had someone else sign it.

"We have a levy campaign," Sykes said. "We have a Committee for Schools and would like to see them take an active role in this, the leader of this levy."

Flagg said he's complained all over, to no avail.

"The only question is: whose jurisdiction is it?," he said. "I'll have to go to the (Lucas) county prosecutor because nobody else is going to take responsibility for it. Then you have to ask yourself: will local politics get in the way?"

Dr. Pecko released a statement Tuesday evening stating district employees are key volunteers in the levy campaign. He quotes an Ohio Attorney General's legal opinion (91-064) which allows the use of district equipment as long as it's not needed for school purposes.

The Committee for Schools will reimburse the school district after the Nov. 2 general election.