APS up $1.2 million above projections in first week of Fulton tax collection

Some Fulton County taxpayers must have been listening when cash-starved Atlanta Public Schools asked them to pay up as soon as possible.

About 1,200 school district employees were furloughed Monday and Tuesday in an effort to save money while the district waits for revenue to come in from Fulton tax bills, which were sent out earlier in early November after a months-long delay.

APS officials recently asked residents to promptly pay those bills and not wait until the Dec. 31 deadline -- since about 62.5 percent of the district's $777 million budget depends on Fulton tax revenue. As of Friday afternoon, Superintendent Meria Carstarphen reported $3.7 million had been collected, up from the $2.5 million the district typically sees in the first week of collection.