From The Cleveland Plain Dealer: In constant search of more money for daily operations, the Cleveland school district has chipped dollars away from the $335 million school renovation and construction fund that voters approved 11 years ago. The shifts are all legal and there are no indications that the Cleveland district has spent any money from the bond issue on anything other than school repairs and construction. But bond money spent on emergency repairs is costing taxpayers because every dollar of the bond issue not spent on state-approved school construction projects means the district loses out on a two-for-one match from the state. All together, about $63 million that could have qualified for that match has been used for other purposes, amounting to more than $125 million in state money the district has not received. District officials say they know the practice isn't cost-effective, but immediate repair needs and multi-million budget deficits force their hand.
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