Penn State spends $7.5M on Sandusky scandal

Penn State University 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 said he’s “guardedly optimistic” that rising tax collections will help mitigate a proposed 28 percent cut in state aid to the school.

Erickson told students that state tax collections in March were about $100 million above collections for March 2011.

He said he is hopeful revenue will improve and give Gov. Tom Corbett and lawmakers more leeway with the budget.