Cobb schools might have to push classroom size to 40 (Atlanta: homes, layoffs)

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

I do live in Cobb, I attended a meeting with a school board representative on the weekend and have been reading all the budget information on the school district website.

I personally would not object to a millage increase. However, in an earlier thread about the funding crisis in metro Atlanta school districts, conservative-leaning forum members poured scorn on this "big liberal" idea. Conservative voters appear to think that tax cuts are the remedy to all government evils and that there's plenty of "bloat" that school systems can just cut, so that they can provide the current level of services for $100 million less.

In Cobb's case, the current estimated budgetary shortfall is $137 million, and the district is already one of the more thrifty ones in the metro area. It seems obvious to me that the district doesn't have anything like $137 million worth of invisible "bloat" that can magically be cut to balance the budget. The shortfall is going to affect our children in the classroom, no doubt about it. I really wonder when Cobb parents are going to wake up and notice there's a problem. Maybe if the district goes to half-day kindergarten, which is another proposal that's floated on the stakeholders' survey.

Despite Cobb's reputation for being extremely conservative, voters have routinely passed bond referendums when it came to school construction and other education issues. A mileage increase that you think few would be interested in might be exceptable to a majority if it is promoted well.

On the political scale, I would be labled far right wing for some of my views, but it is not an easy one dimensional label to attach. I don't like the federal government to have huge "big brother" powers. I believe in more local control. So while I might fall into that broad sweep of "ultra conservative" Cobb County voters, my belief system likes to see my tax dollars stay more at the local level. If I see, as you point out, that Cobb County Schools are well run and don't have a lot of bloat in the budget (which I firmly believe), I would be willing to pay more to keep the excellent school system.

Conservative voters for the most part are more complex than what they are often painted as. If the correlation in their quality of life, in the investment in their personal property and the well being of their children is made clear and plain, I believe most Cobb Countians would agree to pony up to maintain their school system.

[RainyRainyDay]

Saintmarks, I hope you're right. My view is probably being far too much affected by a single poster on the other thread - another Cobb Countian who typically seems like a smart and reasonable conservative - who seemed pretty vociferous in opining that my concern about the schools and openness to a millage hike were out to lunch. I was mentally nominating him as "typical conservative parent". But that was before there was information available about CCSD's specific budget situation.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

Saintmarks, I hope you're right. My view is probably being far too much affected by a single poster on the other thread - another Cobb Countian who typically seems like a smart and reasonable conservative - who seemed pretty vociferous in opining that my concern about the schools and openness to a millage hike were out to lunch. I was mentally nominating him as "typical conservative parent". But that was before there was information available about CCSD's specific budget situation.

I have always felt that school systems everywhere employ too many central office managerial types at high salaries. That is where I would want to see cuts come before taxes are raised, not in the schools themselves.

Having had a spouse teaching both in Bartow and Cobb County and now in two districts in Texas, central office jobs are where administrators that can't hack it in the schools get sent. I know that is a BROAD statement to make and anecdotal on my part, but seems to be a common thread in every school and district where she has worked.

[lastminutemom]

Originally Posted by ericsonga

So, I haven't heard a lot about what Gwinnett is going to be doing with the budget shortfall. We are expecting a shortfall of $100 million as well. However, all I've heard is a few more furlough days and eliminating crossing guards. I know we have a much larger system, but I just haven't heard of any of these draconian measures for Gwinnett.

Gwinnett is being very secretive but there are reports that many teachers were not given contracts. Gwinnett's IE2 contract already allows for big class sizes.

[KevK]

I do live in Cobb and I would favour a tax increase rather than that. Or allowing the schools to temorarily use the SPLOST tax for classroom expenses rather than just new school construction.

[kaday]

I agree with the tax issue. If we need to raise taxes to avoid huge classrooms and other damaging cuts I am all for it. We have had it pretty good...great schools and very low taxes. It's not working anymore.

I have heard a lot of people recently frustrated with the over 62 school tax exemptions as well.

One thing is ....as I have been following this first the shortfall was 95 million, then last week 100 million now 137 million....why does it keep growing?

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by kaday

One thing is ....as I have been following this first the shortfall was 95 million, then last week 100 million now 137 million....why does it keep growing?

Updating the estimates. The revenue available to the school district comes from two sources: the state government and Cobb taxes. The amount forthcoming from the state depends on the state budget (not passed yet), and the state budget depends on anticipated state revenues, for which the estimates have been changing downwards. I think the anticipated revenue from Cobb taxes is also an estimate that's been undergoing refinement.

There's absolutely no guarantee that $137 million is as bad as it's going to get.

[kaday]

That is really depressing.

[RoslynHolcomb]

Scary part is if Cobb is going to 40 DeKalb will probably have to go to 60. I know they plan to close some schools and those kids have to go SOMEWHERE. I guess we'll all have to hunker down and get through this, but this is starting to look like a lost generation situation. I mean, we're in a position to supplement our kid, but what about the people that can't?

[kaday]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

Scary part is if Cobb is going to 40 DeKalb will probably have to go to 60. I know they plan to close some schools and those kids have to go SOMEWHERE. I guess we'll all have to hunker down and get through this, but this is starting to look like a lost generation situation. I mean, we're in a position to supplement our kid, but what about the people that can't?

It's not unique to Georgia....my sister's school district in NJ had 100% of their gov funding cut and she pays about $16,000 in property tax for a very modest home.