LPS board discusses spending additional revenue

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By MARGARET REIST / Lincoln Journal Star

Lincoln Public Schools could buy a new student information system, tighten security and add special education staff if it takes full advantage of an estimated $21 million in additional revenue projected for the 2006-07 budget.

That’s the amount of money LPS  officials estimate the district would get if it decides to keep its general fund tax rate unchanged — at the state-imposed lid of $1.05 cents per $100 valuation — and takes full advantage of a hefty increase in property tax valuations.

That’s the direction the school board has been heading for some months now, though members  haven’t made any budget decisions yet.

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But the board did ask staff to advise it on the best way to spend the additional revenue, and then spent more than two hours Monday night listening to district officials’ suggestions.

That is, until board member Keith Prettyman said he was worried the public wouldn’t support spending the additional revenue and asked staff to come up with another proposal based on a lower tax rate  of $1.01 per $100 of valuation.

That amount would pay for budget items the district is committed to pay, such as salaries and benefits, but nothing else.

“While we’ve not made any promises to the public with the general fund ... it’s possible we will erode public confidence if we spend more than $1.01,” he said.

Prettyman’s request, which was approved by a majority of board members, comes fairly late in the budget process.

The board was scheduled to discuss a full budget proposal on Aug. 1, which may not happen now.

Superintendent Susan Gourley said staff would do the best they  could, but their options — at this late date — are limited.

Board member Doug Evans, who voted for Prettyman’s budget motion, said the public doesn’t understand why the board is spending what it’s spending. The district and the board did a better job of communicating with the public on the $250 million bond issue voters passed in February, he said.

“We need to decide if we want to spend $1.05 (levy) in the face of public sentiment,” he said. 

At the heart of the issue is a 17.5 percent valuation increase, which includes new property on the tax rolls and the result of countywide revaluation of property by the county assessor.

LPS officials have estimated the increase at closer to 14 percent after protests and other assessments are included.

Either way, if LPS — which makes up the biggest chunk of a homeowner’s property tax bill — kept its tax rate unchanged from last year, most homeowners would pay more in property taxes.

A tax rate of $1.01 per $100 of valuation would generate about $15.5 million in additional revenue. That amount would pay for the following budget items the board is committed to:

* $1.5 million to put all-day kindergarten in 13 schools as part of a three-year plan to have all-day kindergarten district-wide. The board earlier approved the plan.

* About $11 million in salary, benefit and retirement costs for teachers and other employees. That includes $2.2 million for two additional teacher days approved as part of a two-year contract with teachers.

* $3 million that would go into the building fund to raise $10.5 million earmarked for renovation on Lincoln’s four oldest public high schools. The $3 million constitutes 2 cents of the levy.

Additionally, Prettyman asked that staff find a way to include some money for security improvements.

That, Gourley said, would require cuts somewhere.

What Prettyman’s request would not include are the items staff recommended adding with the additional revenue.

Those include:

* $2.06 million to purchase a new web-based computer program to handle all student information including grades, test scores and attendance. The total cost would be $4 million and the rest would be paid for through money the district has been saving in a discretionary fund.  The system would allow parents to get online and see how their children are doing in school and would allow teachers to determine where students need additional help. 

* $2.2 million for security updates including buying additional two-way radios for schools and finding a way to secure all entries.

Evans said he was reluctant to include money in the budget for security changes when the board has not yet had a “philosophical discussion” about the best way to make schools safe.

Reach Margaret Reist at 473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com