Charter vs. Charter

For the second straight day in the campaign's homestretch, a top Charterite criticized the party's own candidates.

On Friday, the Enquirer published an op-ed column by Charter Committee President Michael Goldman, explaining the third party's support of Issue 22, the 9.95 mill property tax levy to support Cincinnati Public Schools. In it, he calls the school board's financial oversight "not acceptable."

That criticism of "the board" isn't meant to single out any one member, Goldman explained by phone today, but it does include veteran CPS board members Melanie Bates and Rick Williams, he said. Charterites back Bates in her race for City Council and Williams in his re-election attempt at CPS.

The column came just a day after Charterite Chris Bortz, an incumbent City Council candidate, slammed the school board himself.

Here's a few excerpts from Goldman's explanation as why they've endorsed candidates they believe made significant missteps at CPS:

"...We had endorsed Rick Williams twice before, and I think there was a predisposition to stick with him to be loyal. And when he explained his situation and how he read what had happened over the last couple of years, particularly with the last year, with the confusion or whatever you want to call it, the board of Charter had come away feeling Rick had learned something valuable from that experience."

As for Bates?

"We had endorsed Melanie twice for school board, and we believed in the person. There is a predisposition to the be loyal and stick with that person, even if they hit some rough weather, it's not totally of their own making. You want to give that person another chance. In both their cases, it seems very clear that they see what went on, and they're not happy about it either. They both believe the board could have performed better."

While Bates has long been on Charter's list for City Council, Williams was not a unanimous choice in his race. Last month, the party's Issues and Endorsements committee recommended that the party stay out of the CPS board race altogether. But Charter's full board overruled them and decided to give Williams the endorsement for the third straight time.

Williams did not return a phone call seeking comment. Bates said the criticism was only possible because she and Williams helped force the board to face up to its problems rather than hide them.

Tim Kraus, CPS teachers' union president, said Charter's missing the point by endorsing both Williams and the levy. He said even the levy's harshest opponents recognize its recent academic improvements and primarily take issue with the board's performance. The answer to that is to replace Williams, which the union hopes will happen.

"There's a distinction there, and Charter's not making it," Kraus said.