Cobb Reporter

In a recent episode of The Inside Scoop, David Owen interviewed Brad Johnson, the Chief Financial Officer of Cobb Schools. Johnson discussed the complexities of funding student success while maintaining fiscal responsibility. He emphasized his dedication to making Cobb an excellent place for learning and working.

Johnson outlined the responsibilities of the Financial Department, which include managing payroll for 19,000 employees, handling local school accounting, overseeing inventory management, and investing in cash flow. The district's budget cycle runs from October to May and involves careful planning, public hearings, and final approval by the school board. The current budget stands at $1.6 billion, sourced from various income streams. Transparency is a priority for the district, allowing public access to detailed budget calculations.

Johnson noted that over 94% of the budget is allocated to salaries and benefits while administrative costs remain low. Cobb Schools have received national recognition for financial excellence from organizations such as the Association of School Business Officials and the Government Finance Officers Association. Notably, Cobb is the only U.S. entity with triple-A credit ratings from Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s, and Kroll.

These high credit ratings reflect fiscal prudence and effective management of taxpayer funds. This status helps reduce costs and allows investments directly into classrooms serving more than 106,000 students.

Johnson also highlighted Ed-SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) funds as a preferred method over bonds for financing large construction projects. This strategy has saved millions in interest costs and facilitated direct reinvestment into schools. Cobb's conservative budgeting practices and transparent operations build trust with taxpayers while benefiting students, educators, and the local economy.