LISD Board eyes budget, building repair

By LPR Staff
Editor/POST-REGISTER

During a special-called meeting on Monday evening, the Lockhart ISD Board of Trustees discussed a variety of issues that will have a direct impact on LISD taxpayers next year.
Although the Texas Legislature is still in session and has made no announcement regarding changes in school finance for next year, LISD must still

begin the process of negotiating budget decisions. Assuming the Legislature changes nothing from last year’s House Bill 1, district financial officers have prepared the tentative budget with a total tax rate of approximately $1.21 per $100. However, that rate is not official, and will not be until later this summer, when the Caldwell County Appraisal District releases the official certified tax rolls.
As budget talks opened on Monday evening, requests for employee pay raises and capital outlay exceeded the district’s estimated general fund revenues by more than $229,000. However, through the course of the evening, administrators and board members rearranged personnel and re-evaluated needs, eventually taking around $90,000 off that total.
The chief point of concern for some board members is a request for capital outlay of $300,000 for building and field improvements. Trustees argued that repairs, particularly at Lockhart High School and Plum Creek Elementary, are necessary and have been necessary for some time. Projects involving roof repair of several district campuses have been in the “discussion phase” for months.
The board will continue to eye the budget while the Legislature continues to negotiate school funding. As Legislative Session winds down, district Chief Financial Officer Tina Knudsen hopes for an announcement from the Legislature, so the district can finish budget negotiations before the end of the current fiscal year on June 30.
During their regular meeting on Monday, May 21, the trustees will continue to discuss the budget, also deciding upon dates for official public hearings on the budget and the tax rate. The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Conference Center at Lockhart High School.