Reprint from the Progress Times - August 29, 2008
©Progress Times 2008 - All Rights Reserved

 

Sharyland weighs proposed budget

 

By Daivd Rodriguez

The Sharyland Independent School District (SISD) held a public hearing to discuss the proposed 2008-2009 district budget on Tuesday, August 26, where the budget presentation was met with no comment from the public and praise from the board.

In their summary of all funds, estimated revenues totaled $80,181,566. Budget revenues and expenditures both totaled $83,856,183. Assistant Superintendent of Finance Jesse Muñiz said the district has projected a growth of six percent.

At $35,224,910, payroll costs amounted for a large amount of the budget. This was more than $2 million increase from the last year’s total of $32,578,090. Part of the reason for the increase was a pay raise that the district awarded earlier this summer.

“The teachers were given $1,400 pay increase,” Muñiz said. “This included the STEP increase when we did the salaries back in June. We’re still looking at about 68.2 percent of our budget as payroll costs. We’ve been very conservative in this district. There are districts that are running the cost in the 80 percentages. We’ve been very fortunate to keep it way under 80 percent, which allows us to redirect funds elsewhere.”

For the general fund balance the total estimated revenue is $66, 405, 411. Of that, $26,140,518 is local funds, $38,828,320 is state funds and $463,573 is federal funds. The total estimated revenues are down from last years’ $69,773,882. According to Muñiz, local revenue has affected state revenue.

“As your local revenue goes up, your state revenue goes down,” said Muñiz. “If your property values are going up, then those values are inserted into your funding formula.”

Muñiz said despite unanticipated growth, the district was able to increase the fund balance with the help of school administrators.

“We had an overrun at B.L. Gray,” Muñiz said. “Fortunately because our growth was higher than what we had projected and because our principals are awesome and very frugal, our fund balance will result in an increase this year.

Board Member Ricky Longoria said the efforts to increase the fund balance had not gone unnoticed.

“By any criteria, we could say that we have a healthy fund balance,” Longoria said.

Superintendent Scott Owings agreed, saying the district’s efforts would continue.

“This is a balanced budget and we will be adding a little bit more to the fund balance as well,” Owings said.