{"id":2514467,"date":"2025-11-25T14:59:01","date_gmt":"2025-11-25T19:59:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/georgia-citys-clash-with-feds-over-school-buses-will-cost-taxpayers\/"},"modified":"2025-11-25T15:04:57","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T20:04:57","slug":"georgia-citys-clash-with-feds-over-school-buses-will-cost-taxpayers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/georgia-citys-clash-with-feds-over-school-buses-will-cost-taxpayers\/","title":{"rendered":"Georgia city&#8217;s clash with feds over school buses will cost taxpayers"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgeorgia-citys-clash-with-feds-over-school-buses-will-cost-taxpayers%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2514467&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The city of Rome, Georgia, has faced a $5 million cost to taxpayers due to a federal dispute over its use of transit funds for school buses. For around 30-40 years, Rome operated a fleet of &#8220;tripper&#8221; buses, which resembled public transit buses without stop arms, funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). However, a 2019 audit by the Georgia Department of Transportation found that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-dems-vote-to-categorize-art-as-infrastructure\/\" title=\"House Dems Vote to Categorize Art as Infrastructure\">federal transit funds<\/a> were not intended for school bus services, which led to demands for repayment. Consequently, Rome had to stop the tripper bus service, purchase a new fleet costing $3.5 million, and repay nearly $1.5 million to the federal goverment. The repayment includes proceeds from auctioning old buses and a payment plan deducted from future transit grants. The city manager and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/im-upset-mayor-who-was-caught-dining-maskless-now-demands-unvaccinated-double-mask\/\" title=\"\u2018I\u2019m Upset\u2019: ... Who Was Caught Dining Maskless Now Demands Unvaccinated Double-Mask\">mayor expressed frustration<\/a> but acknowledged the complexity and uncertainty behind how this situation arose. Efforts to negotiate a better settlement in Washington were unsuccessful. The city is now managing the financial impact through emergency reserves and grant funds.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Georgia city&rsquo;s clash with feds over school buses will cost taxpayers $5 million<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2414082\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &ndash; For decades, the city of Rome ran <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/schools\/\">school<\/a> buses that looked like public buses, with no stop arms and nothing to stop passing traffic. And the city leaned on the federal government to pay for the fleet.<\/p>\n<p>Now, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/taxpayers\/\">taxpayers<\/a> will take a massive hit because Washington says its transit dollars shouldn&rsquo;t have been spent ferrying school kids that way.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3898326\/mike-johnson-breaks-trump-tucker-carlson-nick-fuentes-interview\/\">Johnson breaks with Trump on whether Carlson should have given Fuentes a platform: &#8216;Openly racist&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3898459\/labor-department-unveils-project-firewall-reprimand-employers-abuse-h1b-visas\/\">Labor Department unveils &#8216;Project Firewall&#8217; to reprimand employers who &#8216;abuse&#8217; H-1B visas<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3898479\/protests-amplified-in-schools-kkk-comparison-criticized\/\">Protests amplified in schools; KKK comparison criticized<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The northwest <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/georgia\/\">Georgia<\/a> city had been running the buses for about 30-40 years, the city manager said. Until six years ago, Rome&rsquo;s students rode in 28 white-painted and blue-striped &ldquo;tripper&rdquo; buses bought with&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/georgia\/article_d65eb14a-3e22-11ef-8318-b31d9588f850.html\">Federal Transit Administration<\/a>&nbsp;funds.<\/p>\n<p>But then a 2019 audit by the Georgia Department of Transportation turned up bad news: That <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-billionaires-fueled-anti-israel-groups-backing-democrats-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"How billionaires fueled anti-Israel groups backing Democrats - Washington Examiner\">money wasn&#038;rsquo<\/a>;t supposed to be for school bus service, but for regular bus service.&nbsp;The state informed FTA.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t exactly understand where the delineation is,&rdquo; City Manager Sammy Rich told The Center Square. &ldquo;Would those buses have needed to have stopped at a typical public bus stop and picked up other passengers? Would that have passed the test?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The transgression will cost Rome&rsquo;s taxpayers $5 million &ndash; including buying a replacement school bus fleet and reimbursing the federal government, The Center Square found.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s all tax dollars,&rdquo; Mayor Craig McDaniel said. &ldquo;It all came out of somebody&rsquo;s pocket that gets up every day and goes to work and pays tax money.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>After the audit, the city agreed to stop its tripper service at the end of 2019. That forced the school system to spend $3.5 million buying its own fleet of buses and establishing a transportation department, Rome City Schools spokesman Jim Alred said.<\/p>\n<p>The mayor said the money came out of emergency reserves.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this month, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/desantis-suspends-north-miami-beach-mayor-following-arrest\/\" title=\"... of North Miami Beach suspended by DeSantis after arrest.\">city commission voted<\/a> to settle with FTA for nearly $1.5 million. In correspondence with Georgia Department of Transportation &ndash; the passthrough agency for federal transportation funds &ndash; FTA&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.romega.us\/DocumentCenter\/View\/4092\/GDOT---COR-Disposition-of-Tripper-Vehicles\">demanded to be made whole<\/a>&nbsp;for the remaining useful life of the 28 tripper buses.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If the debt becomes delinquent, FTA may report this claim to commercial credit bureaus and consumer reporting agencies,&rdquo; a letter sent to Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said. &ldquo;FTA may also forward this claim to a collection agency, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, or a private contractor for collection of the debt.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Georgia DOT already paid the sum to avoid paying interest. Now the state&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.romega.us\/DocumentCenter\/View\/4095\/GDOT---City-of-Rome-School-Bus-Services-Recovery-of-Federal-Interest\">wants its money back<\/a>&nbsp;from Rome.<\/p>\n<p>First, the city will pay $431,720 &ndash; the proceeds from selling most of the buses at auction.<\/p>\n<p>Then Rome will be on a payment plan for the remaining $1.06 million, with the feds deducting it from transit grants the city would have received over the next six to seven years, Rich said. The first $65,000 installment will come out of unspent Transit Trust Funds from fiscal year 2023.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Nobody likes it, but we could have had a more painful way,&rdquo; Rich, the city manager, said. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s say we had to go tap into city general funds &hellip; That would have been a lot more painful than being able to utilize the grant funds.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>What remains unclear is how Rome got into this predicament in the first place. Rich said he doesn&rsquo;t know if someone with the city or state knowingly bent the rules, if the city had received prior permission to use the money for school buses, or if the federal government changed its rules at some point.<\/p>\n<p>The city tried to work out a better settlement, with the former mayor and the city manager making multiple trips to Washington. Former Mayor Bill Collins said problems with the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >tripper buses included lacking stop arms<\/a> and outside adults potentially riding the routes with kids.<\/p>\n<p>FTA did not respond to an interview request from The Center Square.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;For the city of Rome, it just is what it is,&rdquo; current Mayor McDaniel said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know that I could point a finger at one person or at one entity and say they did anybody wrong. It&rsquo;s just a situation where there was an unknown there, until we finally found out what they were going to do.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/3898250\/avoiding-food-poisoning-thanksgiving\/\">TALKING TURKEY: AVOIDING FOOD POISONING ON THANKSGIVING<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Rome, with a population of about 39,000, is within the Congressional district of&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/georgia\/article_0d89af20-25c4-4922-9532-90e1bd440a4a.html\">U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene<\/a>. It&rsquo;s unclear if she&rsquo;s taken a position or tried to intervene on behalf of the city, or been asked to. Her office also did not respond to interview requests about the FTA matter, and Greene has announced&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/georgia\/article_78321a00-35a6-4538-9ca9-718f29ed4bb5.html\">she will resign from Congress<\/a>&nbsp;early next year before her term is up, citing personal attacks from President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Former Mayor Collins said the city did get help from Greene&rsquo;s predecessor, former U.S. Rep. Tom Graves, and late former&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/georgia\/u-s-sen-johnny-isakson-to-resign-at-the-end-of-the-year\/article_28245470-c9ad-11e9-ace4-27369fd048ad.amp.html\">U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson<\/a>, who both took part in meetings in Washington.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Georgia city&#8217;s dispute with feds over buses costs $5M taxpayers<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2869,"featured_media":2514468,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/fairfax-county-school-bus.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[5108,32857,4977,67680,8956],"class_list":["post-2514467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-dispute","tag-federal-government","tag-georgia","tag-school-buses","tag-taxpayers"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/fairfax-county-school-bus.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2514467","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2869"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2514467"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2514467\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2514471,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2514467\/revisions\/2514471"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2514468"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2514467"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2514467"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2514467"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}