Youngstown school deficit rises

YOUNGSTOWN —  The Youngstown Board of Education will ask the state for a $16.4 million loan to offset a budget deficit for this year.

That’s the amount of red ink the district will experience as of June 30, according to the Ohio Auditor of State.

It’s considerably higher than the district’s own earlier estimate of a $12 million deficit in a $114 million general fund budget.

Carolyn Funk, district treasurer, said the state auditors counted some items she didn’t in figuring the budget shortfall. That includes $1.6 million in “carryover encumbrances,” an estimate of outstanding purchases as of June 30.