Still, the leader of Cobb’s legislative delegation says the state can’t pay money it doesn’t have.
All together, the state owes school districts across Georgia nearly $5 billion.
Mike Addison, Cobb’s chief financial officer, said that since 2003, his district has not received $353 million owed by the state. Marietta City has not received nearly $27 million it is owed.
Neither of the districts expect to ever see that money, but they do hope the cuts will stop as they go forward.
“Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue decided that the state couldn’t fully fund their (Quality Basic Education) commitment, so he implemented austerity cuts,” Addison said. “We just want (the state) to restore what they do owe us each year.”
Likewise, Marietta City’s school board has asked only that future cuts are minimized, spokesman Thomas Algarin said.
Residents fund the state education department through sales and income taxes, and state officials use what is called a QBE formula to determine how much money per student the state will pay school districts.
For fiscal 2013, which begins July 1, Addison said Cobb plans to spend $7,898 per student, and the state should pay 46 percent of that, or $3,649 per student. The district is also facing a $62 million deficit in its fiscal 2013 budget of more than $841 million.
State law requires the state to pay the QBE money, Addison said.
But Rep. Ed Setzler (R-Acworth), who sits on the state’s education committee, said the state can’t spend money it doesn’t have.
“Relative to the QBE law, even though we’re off that some, I think we’re doing very well,” he said. “Education has been significantly protected and will continue to be as a priority. Are we funding like we’d like to? No. We’d like to give more, but in our times we aren’t able to.”
Setzler said that while some other state agencies saw their budgets slashed by up to 25 percent, the education department only saw cuts of between 8 percent and 9 percent.
“(Education was) protected compared to the average agency,” Setzler said. “As we’ve tried to replenish funds, (education has) replenished funds faster than other agencies.”
Earlier this month, Cobb school board member David Banks, who represents northeast Cobb, asked whether the district could sue the state over the cuts.
“If the state legally owes us that money, why haven’t we had tried to get it? If you don’t ask, you won’t get it,” he said. “That’s our money, and it belongs to us. … If we owed the state, I guarantee they’d be coming after us.”
Cobb Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa said he is not ready to pursue legal action.
“The board and staff would have to have an extremely convincing argument to persuade me,” he said. “I want to work through the current system first. If that is not successful, then other options might be considered.”
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It is apparent listening to you that you have nothing to offer but stupidity in your remarks. You are way off base as usual. As homeowners in Cobb, we all pay more taxes that we need to and none of us are happy about it.
You are WONG AGAIN.
Charter Schools. Vouchers. Whats the matter there pardner are you are teacher? Loafer.
Sorry charlie. The taxpayers are tired of paying for political indoctrination, sex ed, and a sub par education that then comes back to us in a life time of entitlement payments.
Close the dumps and do vouchers so the market can decide.
I am more than tired of taxes. I have voted against the previous SPLOST and will be voting against the next SPLOST due to the wasteful spending by this school board.
Like I said. Offer a legitimate alternative that is feasible for the number of kids to be educated instead of just sitting back and ranting. It is easy to say "close the dumps" when you are not responsible for the education of our kids. Talk about something screwed up if you just throw it out there with no standards.
All GA Senators and Representatives are up for election this year. Force them to take and reveal their position on public education funding.
Will they, or won't they support restoration of public education funding? If yes, when? If no, support candidates that will.
Districts across the state don't have enough money to fund education, let alone fund legal action. Funding is needed yesterday and a legal process could drag on for a long time, while simultaneously wasting a lot of money on legal fees.
Speaking of fees, would larger districts incur greater legal expenses than smaller districts? Who decides?
Public schools are a menace. They produce nothing but under educated communist operatives.
Close this den of cheats and do a voucher program. Close Cobb Schools today. I am sick of paying for your children to grow up and be leeches and thugs.
You've taken MILLIONS of our tax dollars. Cobb's gotten NONE of it back. It's time for you to grow a backbone and make your own tough choices!
Households have to make them. School districts have to make them. Now it's your turn, Cowards of the Gold Dome!
It's well past the time to change leadership in Georgia. republicans have been totally in control for years and look at the mess our education system is in.
I'm not saying both parties are wrong, but it is time to look at education as a whole and stop putting expensive fingers in the dike!
But guess what, they aren't!!
So until that time comes I am not willing to provide my money to support the fiscal and operational mismanagement that is taking place.
If the CCSB was handing the general budget in a responsible, businesslike manner then there would not be such a large budget deficit.
It is what is called fiscal management. Identifying and addressing the budget issues before the become serious budget problems.
That obviously is not happening.
Irresponsible board and administrative leadership is the problem.
You rant and rave about CCSD waste PLEASE GIVE SPECIFICS !! My daughters CCSD high school has over 2700 students. Last year before the new SPLOST addition they had over 30 trailers, a 40 year old SMALL cafeteria, etc. I am sick and tired of the ranting and raving from idiot's like you. We all pay taxes your not special.
Hey Tex G go back to Texas your full of it. Keep drinking the Koch Brothers aka ALEC, Boortz, and Hannity Kool Aid. Face it neither side is out for us joe blows only their Corporate Master.