Urbana schools are owed more than $2.6 million by the state of Illinois, and if the state doesn't start paying up, the schools will probably be broke by mid-March, said Urbana school district Business Manager Carol Baker.
At the school board's Tuesday meeting, Baker and David Adcock, the director of Urbana Adult Education, said the funds were overdue since August.
"We're in kind of one of those perfect economic storms," Adcock said. "The government is right now sitting on a lot of funds ... including ours."
What will happen to Urbana and other school districts if the state just doesn't have the funds, and so never releases what was earmarked?
Also, buried further down:
The school board also approved a resolution to seek possible one-time bonds to cover related to tort, or civil legal, expenses.
Schultz said the district did not resolve to issue the bonds immediately, but the resolution "allows us to in the future." Asked if the bonds may be needed because of expenses related to Jon White, the former Urbana teacher convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, Schultz said he could not comment on pending litigation.
The school board also approved a settlement for $250,000, which Schultz confirmed was White-related. He said he could not comment further.
Does anyone know if the District or its insurer will be paying for these settlements? Previously, the insurer was resisting responsiblity. Was that ever resolved?
Wow. But they want me to pay my income tax on time even when they don't pay their bills on time? Seems reasonable.
The state has one of the lowest responsibilities in the nation in terms of educational costs. They won't even pay their fair share during good economic times. What is the state spending money on?