Monday, January 14, 2013
Take a look at some of the items that you can find deals on this month, including diet foods, athletic and winter apparel, televisions and other electronics, tax filing software, furniture, appliances, chocolate and other snacks, toys and more.
Although money may be tight so soon after the holidays, there are great buys in January that are worth the expense. This week Frugal Family features items that are at their rock bottom prices in January. Some are obvious: wrapping paper, Christmas decorations and like seasonal products. Others may surprise you: frozen finger foods, chocolate and linens. Take a look at the following products and see if there’s something you know you will need this year. By thinking ahead a few months, you will actually boost your budget’s bottom line in the long run.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
A preliminary vote to address a projected $62 million budget deficit headlines Thursday's school board agenda.
- SCHOOLS
-
Thursday, April 26, 2012
The first major step in what figures to be some painful budget-cutting decisions by the Cobb Board of Education begins tonight. The school board is slated to vote on a tentative fiscal 2013 budget that includes a recommendation to shrink the teaching staff by hundreds of positions to help eliminate a projected $62 million deficit. Mike Addison, the Cobb County School District's chief financial officer, is suggesting that cutting 350 teaching jobs by attrition, imposing five furlough days, increasing class sizes, and other measures, including using $21 million in reserve funds, be undertaken to balance the budget. But school board member David Banks, writing over the weekend in East Cobb Patch and Northeast Cobb Patch, questioned most of …
Monday, September 12, 2011
The county raised the rate from 9.6 mills to 11.11 mills for the year that ends Sept. 30.
The Cobb County Board of Commissioners is set to vote Tuesday on the 2012 budget, which includes a tax increase to make up a possible $33 million deficit. The county raised the rate from 9.6 mills to 11.11 mills for the year that ends Sept. 30. Tax bills went out in mid-August. On a $140,000 to $160,000 house, the increase averages $82.67 more per year. On a $190,000 to $210,000 home, the increase averages $111.66 per year. Property taxes make up 58 percent of the county's general fund. With the tax increase, the county is now able to fill some public safety positions that were frozen, said Jim Pehrson, finance director. "It gives us some breathing room," Pehrson said. The total proposed budget for next year is $723 million. The adopted …
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
The Cobb County commissioners were presented with the 2012 proposed budget Tuesday afternoon.
Cobb County's proposed fiscal 2012 budget doesn't include any furlough days for the county's 4,200 employees. Since May 1, county employees have been forced to take five unpaid days off to help balance the current year's budget. The proposed budget also doesn't include any layoffs, but it does include some fee increases and service reductions, plus other cost-saving measures. Library and aquatic center hours have been cut, said Robert Quigley, county spokesman. In personnel, 66 unfilled positions will be eliminated. The county is also looking to privatize the Cobblestone Golf Course. Cobb County's proposed general fund budget for fiscal 2012, which starts Oct. 1, is expected to be about $4 million more than the current $317 million budget …
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Let your voice be heard before Tuesday's Board of Commissioners public meeting about raising the property tax.
District 3 Commissioner JoAnn Birrell would like resident input about whether or not to raise the Cobb County property tax. "I ask that you provide me with your perspective about the proposed property tax increase," Commissioner JoAnn Birrell said in her District 3 Update email. "As your Commissioner, I need your input." Send an email with your views about the proposed property tax increase to JoAnn.Birrell@cobbcounty.org, or call 770-528-3317. The Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing to hear views on raising the property taxes on Tuesday at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The public is invited to attend that meeting.
Friday, July 1, 2011
But police chief says, "If this goes into 2012, I am concerned about being able to sustain this."
Reductions in the county's public safety budget raised plenty of concerns with residents at Commissioner JoAnn Birrell's town-hall meeting Thursday. The Mountain View Community Center was crowded with county officials and residents eager to discuss public safety cuts, the budget and solutions. Cobb Fire Chief and Public Safety Director Sam Heaton and Police Chief John Houser talked about how the cuts and furloughs are affecting services. Regarding the 600 police officers furloughed, Houser said: "The furloughs are having some impact, but we're there for you. If this goes into 2012, I am concerned about being able to sustain this. Short term is one thing, but long term is another. We've looked at a number of things, if this continues, that…
JoEllen Smith
12:28 pm on Thursday, April 26, 2012
JoEllen Smith I think everyone should be aware that Cobb sends away $134 million per year in education funds to other counties! We are considered a "rich" county by state standards because our property taxes are averaged. The high end property taxes weight things upwards. However, we nearly always self-tax our citizens towards the highest end of the millage rate (20%) due to our commitment to … more ›