Friday, August 31, 2007

Lancaster ISD approves $43.5 million budget

By Brian Allen of TODAY Newspapers

The Lancaster School Board of Trustees voted to approve a $43.5 million budget Aug. 21 despite concerns from parents and board member Carolyn Morris. Morris voted against the budget and abstained from voting on the tax rate because of her well-documented concerns about the district's finances.

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The board set a tax rate of $1.41 per $100 assessed valuation, down from $1.73 because of property tax relief from the state. The budget introduced $2 million in cuts and does not provide raises for teachers and staff members.

The budget has been the source of unprecedented attention since the district was late turning in its audit for the 2005-06 school year.

Superintendent Larry Lewis attracted even more attention when he proposed a four-day school week as a potential dollar-saving measure just weeks before school started. He later withdrew that plan due to concerns about teacher contracts.

The board's first vote on the tax rate on Aug. 2 turned out to be invalid because state law prevents approving the tax rate before the budget. This policy allows the board to determine how much money they will need to raise from property taxes before setting the rate.

Lewis said district staff believed they could set the tax rate first. At that meeting, Morris voiced her concerns about the tax rate and the lack of a public hearing before approving the rate.

Lewis explained the meeting had been posted as a public meeting but Morris said in her view that was not the same thing as posting a public hearing before approving the tax rate.

The debate became a moot point when the district had to take another vote on the tax rate.

That led up to the Aug. 21 meeting by which time many citizens were aware of their right to speak in public forum.

The superintendent thanked citizens for their interest but reiterated his stance that the district's financial picture has improved under his administration.

In a quote that will likely be the new favorite of residents opposed to district policies, trustee Sheila Stanmore said people's misunderstandings may come from a lack of accounting knowledge.

“Since it's so clear to you, maybe you would be willing as an elected official to answer the questions we have about the differences between budgets and actual expenditures,” Lancaster resident Arvivian Roberts fired back when she spoke.

While the budget has been put to rest, the controversy surrounding it hasn't in the minds of a lot of citizens.

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