You still have time to make your voice heard on the fiscal 2013 budget for the Cobb County School District, but not much.

The Cobb Board of Education is holding its annual budget public forum at 7 tonight at the Central Office, 514 Glover St., Marietta. It's an opportunity to make comments and ask questions about the $841.9 million budget for the year beginning July 1.

The preliminary budget the school board approved on a 6-1 vote April 26 uses five furlough days, a 175-day school year, a half-year delay in step pay raises, $21.2 million from the reserve fund and a reduction of 350 teaching jobs, among other cuts, to close a projected $62.5 million deficit.

If you can't make tonight's meeting, you can speak during the public-comment period at the start of the school board's Wednesday work session. That meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Central Office.

The school board expects to receive budget alternatives from Chief Financial Officer Mike Addison at that meeting. The board asked for an option with three furlough days, a 177-day school year and the restoration of elementary school library paraprofessionals to full time.

You also can post comments on the school district's budget page and at the bottom of this article to share your thoughts on the best ways to balance the budget.

The school board plans to enact the final budget at its May 17 meeting.

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