At their December meeting, the Haywood County Board of Education agreed to comply with the state’s request that it send $313,000 back to help balance the state’s budget. They also agreed to send the state a resolution indicating their support of efforts to sue it for the recovery of $747 million in diverted forfeitures. Chairman of the Board Chuck Francis is of the opinion that the state constitution unequivocally requires the proceeds from all forfeitures to go toward public education. So is Wake County Superior Court Judge Howard Manning, who ruled August 8 that the state owed the schools the entire sum. Haywood County Schools expects to receive over $4 million from the amount owed, but board member Jimmy Rogers is willing to skip the lawsuit and settle for a lesser amount. Rogers, however, thinks the state may take 50-100 years, the way they do business.
by Leslee Kulba
Wild West blogger