Trustees approve district's tax rate
By LISA CARNLEY Staff Writer

The Lampasas Independent School District Board of Trustees on Monday unanimously adopted a general operating fund budget of slightly more than $29.1 million for the 2007-08 school year. That represents an increase over the 2006-07 budget of $22.7 million.

No member of the public was on hand to comment on the proposed spending plan.

Superintendent Dr. Brant Myers praised the work of LISD Business Manager Shane Jones. "He spent a lot of time on this budget, and this is our best-guess scenario right now," Myers said of the budget. "The bottom line is that we hope to roll a half-million dollars into next year's budget."

A rise in local property values of about 12.5 percent, coupled with an increase in state revenue, had an impact on this year's budget.

Factors affecting expenditures include a salary increase of about 2.5 percent for employees and vehicle upgrades, as well as maintenance issues at several campuses.

Also Monday, trustees approved a tax rate of $1.04 per $100 valuation for maintenance and operations, and an additional $.46 to cover debt on bonds issued for a new high school and an east Lampasas elementary school.

The total bumps up the LISD to its self-imposed cap of $1.50 total tax rate.

Last year, the average market value of a home in Lampasas was $83,820, compared to this year's $90,232 for the same home. The school tax rate for 2006-07 was $1.37.

Taxes due on an average residence last year were $829.09. This year, the levy will be $993.14, for an increase of $164.05, or about $14 more per month.

Had the local bond issue not passed in May, Lampasas ISD property owners would have been looking at a tax rate of about $1.09 for 2007-08, due to property tax relief measures passed recently by the Texas Legislature.

Under state law, the dollar amount of school taxes imposed on a residence of someone 65 years of age or older may not be increased, regardless of changes in tax rate or property value.

In other business Monday, trustees made final hires for the new school year, offering employment to first-time teachers Kelsi Page, at Kline Whitis Elementary; Haley Wheeler and Jessica Wright, Hanna Springs Intermediate School; and Jovita Rodriguez, Lampasas High School.

Resignations were accepted from Lampasas Middle School math teacher Gale Schneider, and from Hanna Springs music teacher Barbara Tucker and sixth-grade teacher Regina Sugg.

Trustees, in a future meeting, will discuss a possible increase in prices for school breakfast and lunch service. Rates have not increased in three years. An additional 25 cents per meal could generate $40,000- $50,000 more into the food service coffers, said the business manager.