Vermilion County School districts still awaiting state aid payments are getting some unexpected relief from the county.
Vermilion County Treasurer Darren Duncan says his office has turned tax money collected from real estate taxes around so that it could be quickly distributed to help schools.
‘’Well, we’re trying to help out the schools the best we can,’’ said Duncan. ‘’Their fiscal year starts July 1st, and of course the State’s not where they’re sending out new money for the fiscal year. So we’ve made some pre-distribution payments to the schools to try to help them on their revenue side.’’
And Duncan notes the $5.5 million dollars distributed so far has gone to the schools earlier than normal.
‘’It’s a little earlier,’’ says Duncan, ‘’probably by at least a month earlier than traditionally, at least several years in the past. So we feel good about being able to do that.’’
Duncan adds the payments represent 25-percent of what the school districts can expect to receive this year in total distributions from the county.
