Jerry Sandusky, center, walks into the Centre County Courthouse with his wife, Dottie, left, and Sheriff Denny Nau, back. Sandusky has a hearing Thursday, April 5, 2012 at the Centre Courthouse, in Bellefonte, Pa. Centre Daily Times /Nabil K. Mark
UNIVERSITY PARK — Penn State has incurred about $7.5 million in expenses through the end of February in dealing with the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.
Most of the tab, about $5.3 million, has been spent on crisis communications and on an internal probe being conducted by former FBI director Louis Freeh. Legal expenses represent another $1.2 million, according to an accounting on Penn State’s website.
Meanwhile, Penn State President Rodney Erickson says he’s “guardedly optimistic” that rising tax collections will help mitigate a proposed 28 percent cut in state aid to the school.
He told students that state tax collections in March were about $100 million above collections for March 2011.
He’s hopeful revenue will improve and give Gov, Tom Corbett and lawmkers more leeway with the budget.
