LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A Pulaski County judge says the Arkansas Department of Education has until noon Friday to pay more than $225,000 to the Fountain Lake and Eureka Springs school districts or seek a stay from the state Supreme Court.
The school districts sued in May after the department told them they owed a total of $2.2 million because they'd received more in property tax money than the state deemed necessary. Fox ruled in September the state cannot withhold the money from the two districts.
On Tuesday, Fox set the Friday deadline for the state to pay more than $137,000 to Fountain Lake and more than $87,000 to Eureka Springs.
The Sentinel Record reports (http://is.gd/5LKphH) that Fox rejected a motion from the schools to hold the department in contempt for withholding the money.
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