Groups object to school money for economic development

Local citizen groups have stepped up a campaign against public funding for a Gwinnett County economic development program.

Gwinnett Citizens for Responsible Government and other groups have asked state education officials to determine whether the county school district can legally support the Partnership Gwinnett program, run by the Chamber of Commerce. The district pays $150,000 for the salaries of two economic development strategists for the program.

School officials say the can legally pay the salaries because economic development efforts boost the property tax base, which increases district revenue. Critics say the money should pay for education, not economic development.