School Consolidation Plan Faces Funding Gap, Lawsuit and Possible Referendum

Approved Option 6.2 for a new east-side high school still faces a roughly $62 million shortfall, reliance on county and casino-related funding, and a Dec. 31 deadline for the Terre Haute Casino Foundation's $10 million upfront commitment. The Council's 4-3 attempt to restore the issue to the October agenda failed over agenda-procedure concerns; the auditor's request for separate legal counsel and continuing school-board budget activity add to governance and transparency disputes.