Monroe County is about to take its last shot at defending a provision of the FAIR Plan that calls for a 50 percent cut in sales tax revenue given to suburban school districts.

The county expects to file a motion by Wednesday, July 9, asking the state Court of Appeals to hear the case, says county spokesman Noah Lebowitz. That's the deadline for filing the motion, he says.

If the court denies the motion, the county will find itself with a $29 million budget gap.

A bipartisan panel of legislators is reviewing the county's finances to find ways to plug the gap. Legislators asked Brooks for a backup budget plan, but she is not releasing one until the court case is finished.