JUDA - The new tax rate for Juda school district residents approved Monday is about the same as it was last year, but may drop if equalized values increase as expected.
The Juda school board approved a $1,131,487 budget at its annual meeting Monday. That represents an increase of about $11,000 or 2 percent, Superintendent Gary Scheuerell said.
The tax rate will be about $11.60 per $1,000 of valuation, about the same as last year.
"But that should be going down once we get the new equalized values," Scheuerell said. He expects property values to increase 2 to 4 percent. Rising values mean property owners pay a lesser amount per $1,000 of value.
Numbers will need to be tweaked a little to allow for the addition of a first-grade section. The board decided to split the first grade, which numbers 26 kids, into two sections. The district will use a long-term sub until a teacher can be hired. With salary and benefits, a new teacher will cost in the "high 40s ($40,000)," Scheuerell said.
The school's enrollment is at 296 for the first day Sept. 2, up slightly from its projection of 292. "The numbers look good," he said.
The next annual meeting is set for Aug. 24, 2009.
The Juda school board approved a $1,131,487 budget at its annual meeting Monday. That represents an increase of about $11,000 or 2 percent, Superintendent Gary Scheuerell said.
The tax rate will be about $11.60 per $1,000 of valuation, about the same as last year.
"But that should be going down once we get the new equalized values," Scheuerell said. He expects property values to increase 2 to 4 percent. Rising values mean property owners pay a lesser amount per $1,000 of value.
Numbers will need to be tweaked a little to allow for the addition of a first-grade section. The board decided to split the first grade, which numbers 26 kids, into two sections. The district will use a long-term sub until a teacher can be hired. With salary and benefits, a new teacher will cost in the "high 40s ($40,000)," Scheuerell said.
The school's enrollment is at 296 for the first day Sept. 2, up slightly from its projection of 292. "The numbers look good," he said.
The next annual meeting is set for Aug. 24, 2009.