The Echo

Markell's edu-spending cuts have been wreaking havoc in Laurel all year.  The state has finally intervened to help ward off a budget deficit before the end of this fiscal year.  Is it enough?  It is in time?  And will our state legislature finally acknowledge the chaos the Markell Administration has caused in public education?

From the News Journal today:

A special team of financial advisers selected by state officials has been dispatched to the Laurel School District to help ward off a projected spending gap that threatens to spill red ink on the district's budget by the end of this school year.

Click the graph above for the full story.

Note - the State blames Laurel's school board and the turnover in management via interim super and business office.  The district and local legislators blame the edufunding cuts as operational costs outpace the rural tax base.  And Ann Visalli is asking Sen. Venables to not introduce bailout legislation like that passed to help Christina years back until the recovery team has a handle on the problem.  Venables is waiting on the school board for the go ahead.  And in all this mess, let's not forget that CSD was billed for all the hours that the Finance Recover Team fromn Dover spent on forensic accounting. Likely, Laurel's tax payers will have to cough that up, too.

The Gov's mess!