In an interview Tuesday, State School Superintendent Kathy Cox, said she does not support tax increases.

Instead, the Republican says she wants legislators to consider using money from the state lottery and impose user fees on hospitals.

Cox also said that the major issue at hand is the significant drop in tax revenue. Local school system officials have argued, however, that a controversial change in the state education formula -- known as austerity cuts -- by Governor Sonny Perdue in 2003 hurt them in the years leading up to the current economic crisis.

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