Board member J. Kevin Kelley is the subject of a federal probe.

WTAM's Ken Robinson talks with Parma School Board V.P. Rosemary Gulick.

(Parma) - Leaders in the Parma Public schools hope voters will approve a tax increase on the November ballot. However, a federal investigation involving a school board member may be raising concerns just when the district needs to win votes.

Parma School Board Vice President Rosemary Gulik is hoping that the probe doesn't cause the public to reject their funding measure, but she admits the investigation may have cast a cloud of doubt in the public's mind.


Rosemary Gulick

The schools are asking voters to approve a 5.5-mill operational tax that would bring in $13.6 million a year, costing the owner of a $100,000 home $168 annually.

Federal agents are probing J. Kevin Kelley, school board member and employee of the Cuyahoga County Engineer's Office. He is among county officials being investigated for possibly receiving personal favors in exchange for contracts. So far, no one has been charged.

Investigators are believed to be looking into Parma Schools contracts awarded between 2002 and 2005, when Kelley was the school board's president.

There are also concerns that the probe could affect the race for president.

At the center of the federal investigation are longtime buddies and political allies, Jimmy Dimora and Frank Russo. Dimora is one of three county commissioners who is also the county's Democratic chairman. Russo is county's politically well connected auditor.

No one has been charged and Dimora and Russo have said they did nothing wrong.

The Barack Obama campaign says it won't be affected by any upheaval in the local Democratic organization. By tradition, Ohio Democrats must win Cuyahoga County by huge six-figure margins to offset GOP strength elsewhere.



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