PRIORITIES: The PD editorializes somberly this morning about the Cleveland School District's announced budget cuts.

There is no arguing the district's desperate financial straits. The last several months have witnessed midstream cuts in state aid, dwindling property tax revenues and fast-climbing charter-school and health-insurance costs... The district plans to address one half of this equation by seeking new taxes in November. Residents last approved a city schools levy in 1996, but back then the economy hummed, and the city hadn't laid off more than 300 safety workers. Even if school officials secure a miracle win this year, the money won't arrive in time to avert the certain downward spiral forced by this spring's cuts.

The district escaped academic emergency status just last fall, a proud moment. But it will be desperate once again when classes open this August. The near future looks ugly, and the sooner citizens accept this reality, the better chance Cleveland has of launching speedy repairs.

But for some reason the editorial fails to mention why the school levy was put off until this November instead of going on last Fall's ballot, when the coming crisis was already evident to every public official, business leader and editorial writer in town.

Children, can you say "convention center"?