The Rising Cost of, er, Education

Sending the largest delegation to the recent Council of State Government's meeting at a Puerto Rico resort will cost West Virginia taxpayers at least $44,518, the Charleston Daily Mail reports today.

It appears that $16,711 of the total is from flying Gov. Joe Manchin, Chief of Staff Larry Puccio, their wives and two state troopers to and from the conference on a state airplane.

More than half of the 26 legislators who attended have also turned in expense reports, which range between $1,320.20 and $2,075.37, the article said.