School funding plan hurts public students

As a Columbus resident, I care about my community. 

The Columbus City Schools district serves 45,000 students; 50% are economically disadvantaged. Without amendments, House Bill 96 would cut state basic aid for Columbus public school students by $45 million and more for special education services. Funding is inadequate; the proposed budget makes this worse.

Unfunded state mandates like transportation policies and charter schools make it harder to improve Ohio’s public schools.

In violation of the Ohio Constitution, HB 96 shifts greater burden to local taxpayers.

Legislators should amend HB 96 to achieve the Fair School Funding Plan. The current budget bill cuts foundation-formula-based funding for public schools by $103.4 million and increases state funding for private school vouchers by $265.4 million over the next biennium. As many as 359 districts will lose funding. Prioritizing private schools over public schools harms 1.5 million public-school students and favors unaccountable private schools that currently enroll 181,000 students.

Phase in the Fair School Funding Plan using up-to-date cost estimates. Amend HB 96 to make school funding fair for all students.

Cheryl Roller, President, League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Columbus

Columbus City Council choices underwhelming

The current choices for candidates to the Columbus City Council are beyond disappointing. If this is the look that the Democratic Party is seeking, I’m no longer a willing participant of the party. They seem to be seeking the role to expand their resume, not to be a public servant. Very unfortunate for a state that has evolved to become “red.”

Emily Prieto, Columbus

Broadband, but for who?

The Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program is getting an overhaul, and it’s looking like a raw deal — especially for rural residents. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick wants to prioritize “lowest cost” internet access. That sounds great on paper, but in reality, it’s a mess. What’s worse, these changes open the door for Elon Musk’s Starlink to swoop in as a government vendor. 

States have already spent time and money crafting plans based on the original BEAD guidelines, which focused on fiber-optic infrastructure — the gold standard for fast, reliable internet. Thanks to President Donald Trump’s executive order, states might have to scrap their plans and start over. That could mean delays of a year or more before anyone even sees a benefit. In the meantime, rural residents will be stuck waiting — again.

And what do they get for their patience? Maybe satellite internet, which is no match for fiber when it comes to speed, reliability and longevity. Critics are calling this move “penny wise, pound foolish,” and they’re not wrong. Satellites have short lifespans, limited capacity and require constant replacements. Fiber, on the other hand, is built to last and creates real jobs in rural communities — good, union jobs that don’t disappear after the system’s installed. 

Sure, satellites might look cheaper upfront, but in the long run, rural residents could end up with worse service and higher costs. Meanwhile, Elon Musk gets a shiny new revenue stream. If this is what “streamlining” looks like, we don’t want it.

Barbara Kaplan, Peninsula