Leander - Liberty Hill Edition | July 2024

Education

BY CHLOE YOUNG

Liberty Hill ISD projected to adopt largest ever budget shortfall

The big picture

Diving in deeper

Tax rate breakdown

General operating budget expenditures

Expenditures: $102.84M Proposed 2024-25 general operating budget

Projected tax rate

Median home value

Average school property tax bill

Salaries and benefits: 85.7% Departments: 10.87% Campuses: 3.41%

Shortfall: $8.57M

$1.1669

$462,264

$3,082

Revenues: $94.27M

District officials have discussed calling a voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, in November, which would allow them to adopt a higher maintenance and operations portion of the tax rate. The district is considering the following overall tax rate increases, which would result in additional revenue for the district and higher tax bills for residents.

$954,998 through 14 positions and reducing stipends $209,655 to department budgets Cost saving measures In an effort to reduce its projected shortfall, the district has proposed $1.5 million in budget cuts, including:

Includes $2.5M increase to the compensation plan: • $1.37M in increased contributions to employee benefits • $782,500 in one-time stipends to all staff • $256,965 in salary step increases • $111,750 in special education stipend increases

General operating budget revenues

$190,345 to campus budgets $125,000 to staff overtime

Tax rates requiring voter approval

Additional revenue for district $4,575,742 $6,228,481 $9,511,486

Additional annual cost to homeowners

Property tax collections: 57.5 % State revenue: 29.3 % Teacher Retirement System: 6.6 % Other local revenue: 6.1 % Federal revenue: 0.6%

Additionally, LHISD is exploring ways to decrease fuel, utilities, energy and property insurance costs, which have increased due to inflation. The district has also increased class sizes, Chief Financial Officer Rosanna Guerrero said.

$1.1969 $1.2269 $1.2869

$138.68 $277.36 $554.72

SOURCE: LIBERTY HILL ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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