Public hearings set for Aug. 31

Salado ISD Trustees will conduct public hearings on the proposed 2015-16 budget and the proposed tax rate of $1.2755 per $100 valuation at 6 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Salado Civic Center. Salado ISD Trustees proposed the $13.2 million for 2015-16 school, an increase in expenditures of 12 percent.

The proposed budget anticipates an increase in enrollment of more than 6 percent, to generate $4.7 million in state revenues based on the weighted averaged daily attendance. This increase in state revenues represents more than a 21 percent boost over the $3.7 million in state revenues last year.

The proposed budget will maintain the local maintenance and operation (M&O) tax of $1.04 per $100 valuation and lower the debt service (I&S) tax from 25.14¢ per $100 valuation to 23.55¢ per $100 valuation.

Maintaining the $1.04 M&O rate will generate $7.23 million in local property tax revenues for the operating budget. Last year, the $1.04 M&O rate generated $7 million in local property tax revenues.

The budget increases instruction expenditures to $7 million to accommodate a new teacher pay scale that increased pay 1.8-9.4 percent, depending on years of experience.

Instruction expenditures are about $813,000 more than 2014-15, an increase of 12 percent. Instruction costs are 53 percent of the total budget.

Curriculum and Staff Development increases by more than 33 percent to $100,474.

School Leadership increases to $868,813, or 12 percent, due in part to the addition of an assistant principal at the intermediate school. School Leadership costs are 6.6 percent of the total budget.

Student Transportation costs increase to $566,961, about a 29 percent increase, and includes the purchase of a new full-size bus and a smaller bus. Transportation costs represent 7 percent of the total budget.

Co-curricular and Extra-curricular expenditures increase 22 percent from $772,926 to $907,855 in 2015-16. This represents 7 percent of the total operating budget.

Plant maintenance and operation will increase by more than 67 percent in the proposed budget. A large part of the $607,000 increase is due to the installation of a new phone system for the schools. Total costs for plant maintenance and operation is $1.6 million, or 12 percent of the total budget.

The budget cuts payments to fiscal agents from $651,075 to $225,750 in 2015-16.

In addition to the general operating budget of $13.22 million, the district will maintain a debt service budget of $1.36 million in expenses.

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