More than half of all Fairfax County’s expenditures will be spent on its public school system next year, but even that apparently is not enough. School Board members learned earlier this month that there’s a $30 million budget gap for fiscal 2014, which will widen to $130 million in 2015. County Executive Ed Long has recommended a 5 percent property tax hike next year to make up the difference.

But Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Jack Dale is hoarding a surplus estimated at more than $100 million, including about $25 million in “unassigned” funds and $80 million “assigned, not committed” funds — which the School Board has not voted to spend. His third-quarter review also turned up an additional $20 million in extra money. Add that all up, and the entire budget gap for 2014 — and most of the shortfall for 2015 — disappears.