EDITOR'S NOTE: Below is a selection of responses shared by readers of MDJOnline.com in reaction to recent MDJ stories ...

Around Town: Is low-profile public group, the Cobb Development Authority, acting as Cobb Chamber's Private Piggybank?

What's up wrote - MDJ needs to expose who is behind the sudden transfer of public functions like economic development and the Cobb Convention Bureau to the privately and secretly run Chamber of Commerce, where there is no accountability and no transparency.

ConcernedCobb wrote - Cobb County: Look around. The Chamber is gobbling up multiple public ally funded organizations in Cobb County...umm remember the fate of the Cobb Visitors Bureau just a few months ago? Cobb County, you have a privately staffed and managed organization managing public funds for the good of small businesses. Through this article, I see abuse of privilege. I feel it's time for a GBI investigation or at least some legislative oversight. Gang, if you want to control government waste, starting at the local level is your best bet for political efficacy and impact. Somebody at the state level needs to take a step back and speak up about this issue. Heck, cleaning up this mess could be a great electoral platform.

Junkets wrote - MDJ, why didn't you tell us about (development authority director) Don Beaver's junkets to South Korea at taxpayers' expense?

Johnchcs wrote - Public funds being given away to a private group. Don Wix, Bill Kinney and others should be ashamed. They abused public trust to "help" a few insiders spend public dollars. Let's hope the paper continues to follow up on this story.

Irked wrote - The chamber is a powerful force. It's supposed to be. The problem is not the power of the chamber, but the lack of a counter-balance to it.

Say what wrote - All this taxpayer money and Cobb still loses businesses to Gwinnett. So much for less government in the business community. The Chamber is in bed with the government. What a joke.

Tell us more wrote - Chamber caught with hand in the cookie jar. Tell us more, MDJ.

School board watcher wrote - All votes of Development Authority unanimous in last five years? Wow. This is more of a rubber stamp board than the worst-ever Cobb School Board.

Conservative reader wrote - As I said in an earlier post, Beaver and his chamber cronies have been exposed feasting at the public trough.

Chamber member wrote - Better late than never MDJ reporting this rip-off of taxpayers by the Chamber.

Irked wrote - Seems that these guys are just doing what Chambers are supposed to do - and they're extremely good at it. Unfortunately, though, there is no effective counter-balance to the relationships they build and the influence they yield. Joe Sixpack Homeowner has no chance. He sits alone.

Cobb schools committee OKs use of $23M in SPLOST money to close budget gap ...

Fed up wrote - Here we go again. Rob Peter to pay Paul!

Big D wrote -"Skirting" the law results in a reversal decision by a judge, then, possibly, retribution against the members of the board. If the public truly sees it that way, it'll be played out in a lawsuit and ultimately determined by a judge.

To Cobb teacher wrote - If a 2 percent pay cut and a couple furlough days are going to cause you to lose your house, you are living beyond your means. That's half of the reason the economy is what it is.

Anonymous wrote - There may be a legal loophole, but the Board of Education is putting future SPLOST votes at risk. Better have a way to make up that money when voters say no.

Curious One wrote - There will be future consequences for such behavior by the CCSB. When will they reduce the $2 million the system's lawyers take home each year? Furlough them? Heck no, fire them!

John R wrote - If skirting the law is acceptable to you than so be it. Just don't expect the voters to go along with many more SPLOST adventures.

New Name wrote - The fact of the matter is that we are now without 500-plus full-time teachers and almost that many part-time teachers. We are now looking at 40 children in a class. The SPLOST maneuver will add money to the 2010-11 budget and these teachers have been eliminated from the 2010-11 budget. I volunteer in the schools and I can tell you right now, that number is going to be harmful beyond what even you can comprehend.