COBB COUNTY, GA — The Cobb County School District has filed a lawsuit against the Cobb County Board of Commissioners over administrative fees the district says were improperly charged for collecting school taxes.
According to the lawsuit, Cobb County has collected more than $130 million in administrative fees from the school district since 2011 to reimburse the county for the cost of collecting school taxes.
The district is seeking court intervention to stop the fees and recover money it says was unlawfully collected.
School officials contend that a Georgia law passed in 2011 requires educational tax revenue to be distributed to school districts without collection fees. The lawsuit alleges the county has refused to comply with that requirement.
The district also argues that the county does not have the legal authority to impose the collection fees and that the amount charged is unreasonable.
According to the school district, the collection fee is expected to exceed $13 million in fiscal year 2026. The district says the county plans to increase the fee to more than $20 million next year.
The school district said the lawsuit is intended to protect funding for students, teachers and taxpayers in Cobb County.
According to the district, the fees would take money currently spent on teacher salaries, lowering class sizes, sports programs, and band and orchestra programs.
The lawsuit remains pending in court.