Treasurer Scott Gainer Compensation & Contract
For 25 years, Scott Gainer has been the Treasurer of the CHUH School District. Since 2000, he has been successful in championing and passing 6 Levies for a total of over $40 Million plus the $135 Million School Bond. Mr. Gainer, who doesn't even live in CHUH, has greatly self-benefited from our high taxes. Here is a summary of his contract and compensation which adds up to over $225,000 per year. He clearly has a vested interest in passing Issue 69.
Superintendent Elizabeth Kirby Compensation & Contract
Ms. Elizabeth Kirby began working in the ClHUH School District on August 1, 2019. Most recently, Ms. Kirby served as Chief of School Strategy and Planning for Chicago Public Schools from 2015 to 2019. She spent 23 years in Chicago Public Schools as a teacher, principal, and central office administrator. Ms. Kirby, who also does not live in CHUH District, receives similar lavish salary and benefits as Mr. Gainer.
The Ohio Auditor of State Special Investigations Unit issued its findings in a Case Closing Memo (Case # 2020-CA11101) on April 21, 2020. The State Auditor found:
- The polling was performed in an effort to support the passage of the levy.
- The District’s response states that the District agrees with our position that the work ultimately performed by RSG and LRP was in support of the levy campaign. However, the District maintains that their purpose was to communicate with the residents of the District and that the work performed by RSG and LRP was contrary to the work for which the District had contracted. The District’s position is undermined by the facts which indicate the District was aware of the scope of the work intended to be performed by RSG and LRP prior to the work being performed.
- Even if we accept the District’s position that it did not intend to have work performed in support of the levy campaign, this does not excuse the payment of $34,675 in public funds for such a result. The District should be actively pursuing repayment of these misspent funds.
CHUH Healthcare
Taxpayers are paying 94% of the exceptionally
GENEROUS Healthcare for the CHUH School employees.
CHUH Employees only pay 6%.
Single coverage is $11,505.84 annually (employee pays just $58.33 per month)
Family coverage is $31,065.12 annually (employee pays just $154.17 per month).
AND they pay $0.00 Deductibles!
Cleveland Heights - University Heights
Tiger Nation 4 Lower Taxes
We all love our vibrant neighborly community with its beautiful homes, ease of walkability, amazing parks, great business districts, arts, wonderful restaurants, culture and the close proximity to University Circle.
However, the extreme taxation is a burden on so many of our residents and puts the future of Cleveland Heights & University Heights in extreme danger (especially now with COVID 19 hurting so many).
Tiger Nation 4 Lower Taxes
CH-UH is in the TOP 1% of all school districts'
property tax rates in the state.
Tiger Nation 4 Lower Taxes
It is becoming unsustainable and unaffordable!! The HIGH Taxes are a threat to our most vulnerable citizens; the elderly, retired, those on fixed income, low income, our impoverished and young individuals/couples with high debt.
Tiger Nation 4 Lower Taxes
Overcharged
Based on the CHUH Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the
CH-UH Schools received $130.4 Million in TOTAL REVENUE in Fiscal Year 2019.
Our schools already receive significantly more revenue dollars than similar districts and 67% of our property tax distribution.
Over Taxed
We are in the TOP 1% of all property tax rates in the entire state of Ohio. AND Cleveland Heights has a Poverty rate of nearly 19%.
How can these struggling families pay more??
Higher taxes will further threaten our most vulnerable residents, including seniors, retirees, and young families.
Generously Compensated
The average CH-UH School Administrator (including Superintendent & Treasurer) makes over $116,000 with full benefits and a pension (+49% of salary). The average CH-UH resident's income is $73,000.
How can we continue to ask taxpayers, who earn so much less, to pay more for highly compensated Administrators
With a steady decline in enrollment and ever-rising revenues & expenses, where does all of the money go??
"The amount of state funds that a district receives is based on a formula that takes into account the student enrollment and the property wealth of the district."
The State Funding follows the student. If the student leaves the CH-UH School, state funding will follow the student. However, the local property taxes stay at the school. Therefore the CH-UH Schools keep the property tax dollars and can apply them towards the existing student base. This is a NET gain for the CH-UH Schools since the per student funding will increase.
What You'll See On Your November Ballot
CH-UH School District 4.8 Mill Levy
(Over $5.2 Million MORE each year)
VOTE NO
The CH-UH School District continues to ask for more property tax dollars from the residents even though the student population has been on a steady decline.
FY2011: 5,870 students
FY2015: 5,393 students
FY2018: 5,214 students
FY2019: 5,029 students
Based on the Actual FY18 General Fund, the CH-UH Schools received $76.76 Million in Property Taxes.
This is a detriment to our fixed income, low income, impoverished and retired residents. We need to ask the School District to be more fiscally responsible with our tax dollars!
The new tax rate will be the one of the highest in Ohio ... OUTRAGEOUS!!!
We all live within our means, why can't we ask the schools to do the same?
The True Effect of "Vouchers"
A portion of the State funding for the CH-UH School District comes from the State Foundation Fund. Within this Foundation Fund, the funding for the EdChoice Scholarships, Peterson (special needs & Autism) Scholarships, and Community School is transferred to the school where the student attends. Since the last Levy in 2016, the Actual 2019 Net State Foundation Funding has not changed significantly.
The families receiving EdChoice Scholarships, Peterson & Autism Scholarships and Community School transfers ALL live in our community and pay property taxes. The State is assisting them in some financial aid for them to send their child to the school of their choice. The CH-UH schools are still receiving ALL of the property tax from these families and they aren't educating these children.
CH-UH By The Numbers
Registered Nurses
There are 4 Registered nurses in the CHUH Schools who earn $100,000 (+ benefits & pension) for working 200 contract days.
(An experience RN's salary in Cleveland is $75,000 working 260 days per year)
$6.8 Million
CHUH has 85 Intervention Specialists averaging $80,000 per year (+ full benefits & pension).
(Average Experienced Intervention Specialist Salary in Cleveland, Ohio
$42,698 per year)
64%
Percentage of teachers average a salary of $90,200 per year (+ full benefits & pension) and work 192 days per year. (Similar School District Teachers' salary averages are $53,000 per year.)
27.5% Revenue increase
Since 2011, the per student General Fund revenue increased from $17,810 to $22,702.
During the same time, the student enrollment decreased by 14%.