Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said he was "profoundly disappointed" in Columbus State Community College's decision not to place a free tuition levy on the ballot this fall.
On July 29, the college said that "after careful consideration,"it will not be moving forward with a levy on the November ballot
. Columbus State President David Harrison said that the college has "decided that this isn’t the moment to move forward with this proposal."Ginther said in remarks to The Dispatch that he was disappointed that the proposed levy would not be on the November ballot, reflecting on his own parents' experience fostering dozens of children over the years.
"I'm their son, and I am profoundly disappointed and very sad for the children of this community, they
deserve this," Ginther said. "And they need the adults in the community to stand up for them."
The Dispatch reported on July 16 that Columbus State was proposing a 10-year, 1.9-mill levy that would generate $95 million annually. The money would have been used largely to offer free tuition to Franklin County high school graduates. The levy would have cost homeowners an estimated $67 per $100,000 of home value, based on unofficial estimates.
Ginther said the proposed levy was an opportunity to benefit everyone in the community, including "tens of thousands of poor kids" attending the city's charter and private schools.
"This proposal would have made sure that the Columbus Promise was a reality for those kids too," Ginther said. "Kids of this community need the adults to step up and show leadership."
Columbus Promise, the model for the proposal, is funded through city government and private philanthropy. It has been extended through the high school graduating class of 2027 but does not have funding for future classes. City leaders launched a campaign last February to fund the next phase of the program. Harrison said July 29 that this decision does not impact current Columbus Promise students.
The Columbus State board of trustees declined to vote on the proposal on July 23, saying they needed to weigh options before proceeding. The decision to not proceed with the levy came after public pushback from community figures like former mayor Michael Coleman and Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce.
Ginther said that he isn't "interested in what adults have to say," he is interested in "what kids need." He said people in the community he's spoken to have been "ecstatic" about the proposal.
"Our voters deserve a chance to weigh in," Ginther said. "I trust the people of central Ohio, they know what they're doing."
Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact Cole at cbehrens@dispatch.com or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ginther 'profoundly disappointed' in Columbus State axing tuition levy
