School Board Approves Budget/Tax Rate

The School Board of Highlands County approved a slight increase in the ad valorum tax rate and approved its 2008-09 budget.

The board approved the 2008-09 tax rate at 7.687 mils, which is an increase of .023 mils over the 2007-08 rate of 7.664.

For a property with an assessed valuation of $200,000, with a $25,000 homestead exemption, the annual school tax increase would be $4.03.

The Legislature took .25 mils from what used to be the district's "local discretionary millage rate," School Board Chairman J. Ned Hancock said Tuesday. The district had flexibility with that money 15 years ago, but over the years the Legislature added more restrictions.

Then the Legislature took a piece of it, which compounds the challenges of preparing a budget, he said.

Superintendent Wally Cox told the school board: "I think we could be $3 million short - $1.5 million of that is due to the 2 percent rollback in state funding and about $1 million of that is due to the shortfall in students."

In a July memo, Florida Education Commissioner Eric J. Smith told districts to plan on a 2 percent reduction in state funding, Cox said Wednesday. It's a proposed cut.

Due to the slowdown in the economy, sales tax revenues are down, Cox said. Indications are that after the November elections, the Legislature will hold a special session to modify the state budget.

Enrollment is down by about 230, with the high school enrollment down the most, he said. The district receives nearly $4,000 annually for each enrolled student.

The school board unanimously approved the 2008-09 budget, which totals $172.516 million. The 2007-08 budget totaled $195.53 million.

The district's budget is lower this year in part due to spending a portion of the $56 million it borrowed for school construction.

The total millage rate is comprised of the following:

• Required Local Effort - 5.242 mils

• Discretionary - .695 mils

• Building (Capital Improvement) - 1.75 mils

These millage rates are unchanged from the 2008-09 tentative budget.

In 2008-09 the district will receive $945,906 in lottery proceeds, which represents 1.1 percent of the total general fund revenue.