What EXACTLY does Nicole F-I-L-E propose to do about the funding challenge facing our school system? (Besides NOT be Janet Smola.)

If she's against the splost, what would she do to make up the reduction in state funds?

When your income comes solely from taking from others' and that money lessens, you DON'T look "to make up the reduction" by finding ways to take more from families who are struggling. What any responsible person does is cut spending to fit income. Duh.

ZoeS

"Never love anything that can't love you back."

What do you cut to stay within budget?

Do you accept less quality in the schools?

Here are some hints for your reply:

SALARIES and RELATED 70 % of the budget

Total cost of all administartion is about 9 % of the salary and related budget and instruction is 76 %.

Administration includes all the office people, principals, guidence, nurses, and other support staff.

Respectfully, what would you cut? It's not as easy as we all think.

Here's a question for you, if you're an incumbent board member and you think we need an ESPLOST, why do you wait until the election is over before bringing it up?

I yam what I yam....Popeye

Not a board member and never want to be one. From what we have found, they have been kicking a round a SPLOST as something they could do if everything went wrong since at least April 30, 2007 in a finance workshop. They again mentioned it in the retreat earlier this year. Minutes aren't very percise, that is why I am looking forward to the podcasts.

The tipping point was the state budget cut in August after our budget was done. That additional money along with another cut next year have created the current event. The good news is that the board has given us a decision in an election where most of us are going to vote. If it passes a majority of us agreed. If it fails a majority have decided to reduce programs that the board has identified for cuts/ elimination. Cobb County just passed a E-SPLOST where 10 % of the voters votred in a special election.

At the chamber event on Thursday, Scott Austensen, Deputy Superintendent of Finance and Business, said the Governor has already asked the State office to present a budget with a 2 percent reduction in expenditures this year, and a 3.5 percent reduction next year. What action are we going to decide to do?

Was the question too hard, this was the second time I've asked both you and Pete this question and y'all just dance around it. Let me be specific here. When the board members were campaigning for office, oh, let's say in the month before the election, still with me here, why couldn't Smola bring up the need for a splost, or any of the board members for that matter?

I yam what I yam....Popeye

No candidate discussed it. I can't account for them, although it is an interesting question. Imagine if one candidate did say things are screwed up and we need x million to fix. Taxes MUST be raised. What would we do? Given all the research I have done in the past few months, I would respect them more.

Sadly PTC, do we honestly believe we can keep all of our services where they are without a tax increase? Let's see our candidates answer that one. I am early in the number crunching but PTC is worse than FCBOE and Sonny isn't helping anyone.

Hutch, again can't answer for them, I can only blame myself for not doing this work in May. Very interesting when you get behind the numbers. I do not think there is mismanagement but everything that could go wrong did. Are cost metrics are better than most districts.

All of that and yet not one word during the election, sounds to me like someone was more concerned with being re-elected then serving our needs.

BTW, I didn't mean you were the board member, just the person you were defending.

I yam what I yam....Popeye

Regardless if she is for or against the splost, she couldn't be less honest about it then Smola was. Right now in my opinion not being Janet is enough to be elected on.

I yam what I yam....Popeye

Fair enough, Hutch. But from the digressions and non-answers to my question, I take it that no one really knows what Ms. F.I.L.E. would do to address the funding issues facing our schools. Perhaps that includes Ms. F.I.L.E. herself....

Here's another mystery for you, maybe you can answer it, none of the other Smola supporters have been able to, why didn't Smola or anyone else on the board, mention the need or possible need for a splost during the election? I've heard my share of non-answers and digressions on this one question.

I yam what I yam....Popeye