CAIRO — Participation was light but vocally opposed to Grady County Board of Education’s proposed 2008 millage rate at the first public hearing Thursday.

At least six residents spoke at the 7:30 a.m. hearing against the 13.0 mils rate, 1.2 mils more than the 2007 rate of 11.8 mils — an increase of about 10 percent.

“I’m a senior citizen and it is going to take me two months to pay my taxes right now,” resident Jean Shackelford said. “It is not right to put all this burden on the taxpayers.”

Questions poised to the board included why sports was not being cut, if there were unnecessary jobs in the system, what the system’s debt is outside of that covered by SPLOST funds, if there were any big surprises down the road for outstanding debt and if the board could possibly cut anything else out of its $36.9 million budget.

Superintendent Dr. Tommy Pharis said minor adjustments were made in expenses for some athletic programs, but the sports program is mainly paid for in athletics revenues. He also said several positions had been unfilled, absorbed or taken out of the budget.

Finance Director Dan Broome said the system’s debt is “slightly under $6 million” and a payment schedule is in place to take care of it. He said no “big surprises” are expected.

The system is also taking approximately $700,000 out of reserves in order to help make up decreases in equalization funding due to recent property revaluations that raised the county’s tax digest and increased local fair share numbers.

“Sooner or later that (reserves) is going to run out,” resident Bob Harris said. “We’re on fixed incomes and, though we don’t mind paying the school tax, you reach a point with the economy the way it is where there are no more resources to draw from and you have to make cuts. Raising taxes is not always the answer.”

Pharis said staff and the board have been working on the budget since April and felt they had cut as much as possible to still maintain a quality education program.

He said the system still has to adhere to various program guidelines — despite funding cuts — and has to pay for items like the mandated 2.5 percent salary increase for teachers regardless of whether or not the state provides earned funding.

“We are taxpayers as well, but we have to finance the education of our children,” board member Teresa G. Harris said. “They are Grady County’s future.”

One resident said just because the budget is adjusted does not mean the system will receive less revenue; another said he understood the system’s position with state funding cuts, but still asked the board to consider more cuts.

It was also asked where else taxpayers might turn to voice their concerns.

“I don’t understand Gov. Perdue not wanting to go into his extra fund,” resident Al Ward said. “When is it going to be a hard time if not now?”

Chairman Laura Register told participants their comments were not falling on deaf ears and thanked them for getting up early to voice their concerns.

Another hearing was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and a third hearing is 8 a.m. Thursday. Final adoption of the budget and millage is expected to follow the last hearing.