Team GIRFOF made the papers last week with a public disagreement about whether the proposal is likely to make the ballot this year. The signature campaign has racked up about 100,000 signatures so far. That’s actually not bad for an all-volunteer effort, but it’s about a quarter of what they need and since the conventional wisdom says you want to overshoot by fifty percent, they have a long way to go.
As a result, some leaders are saying the issue may not hit the ballot until next year. Others say they are still OK for this year. What hasn’t been discussed publicly is how much they are willing to put into paid signature gathering, and how much they will have left for the campaign.
If they are to have a prayer to pass this thing, GIRFOF proponents absolutely must get it on the ballot this year. Otherwise, they will be competing for earned media with a once-in-a-century Presidential campaign and a knock-down, drag out fight over control of a closely divided Congress. They will be buying time during the most expensive campaigns in the history of the planet.
Meanwhile, the opposition will have a year to slowly make the case against the amendment through word of mouth, op-eds and existing social networks. Think that doesn’t matter? Ask Ken Blackwell.
RIP, JOHN OLESKY
5 months ago
3 comments:
Don't forget about OEA's force in collecting signatures. They are to decide by July 5 whether or not to collect a one-time extra dues payment of $25 from each member to help pay for signature collection and/or advertising for the amendment. They do promise the membership that they'll only move forward with the forced donations if they are quite certain they have a chance to win.
Hadn't forgotten it so much as didn't think I had it blogably on the record. Thanks for the info.
From the OEA web site:
"Nobody wants to pay more dues. But if we don’t, the legislature will surely point out that the biggest school employee union in the state doesn’t care enough to support its own well being and the survival of public education in Ohio."
"On the other hand, if this ballot initiative does not go forward – for whatever reason – we will not assess the $25 dues increase."
How many amendment supporters understand it at a level comparable to Ohio's academic content standards? Or are the standards irrelevant to fulfilling the duties of citizenship?
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