NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release – May 4, 2005
Contact: Darlene Fisher – (419) 725-8189

The Urban Coalition believes Toledo voters demand credibility and accountability.

The Urban Coalition would like to thank all Toledo voters for their support.

Toledo, Ohio – Voters in Toledo have spoken on the side of credibility and accountability. At a time when it is important for all of us to be working together, the Board of Education and TPS administration must acknowledge the concerns of voters as expressed by the Urban Coalition.

The Coalition would like to thank all Toledo voters for their support. Coalition members feel that Toledoans have been listening and that they sent a message to the Board of Education: revisit the master building plan and save Toledo’s landmarks and pocket book. The Coalition will continue to work on behalf of Toledo’s children and taxpayers.

“We believe schools should be a community project where parents, teachers, community groups, and businesses work to support student achievement,” said Steven Flagg, communications chair for the Urban Coalition. “Residents are angry about ever rising taxes and little to show for it. We have a real challenge ahead of us,” added Flagg.

The Coalition will now work to elect school board members in November that share a common agenda. “The only way we can tackle these problems is with a majority of the board agreeing to common problems and working toward solutions in a cooperative way with our community,” said Darlene Fisher a Coalition member.

The Coalition further believes that voters are unhappy and fed up with special elections. Toledoans don’t need special elections that drain precious resources from the classroom at a time of record school deficits. This special election has cost Toledo taxpayers about $130,000 which is equivalent to 3 classroom teachers. Three teachers that won’t be in the classroom next year.

The Urban Coalition is a grassroots organization of community groups dedicated to improving the quality of education for all children by focusing on accountability, funding and reform in Public Education.

Visit our Web Site at TPSINFO.COM
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