Brownwood ISD Board of Trustees adopted a decreased 2014 tax rate and approved the 2014/2015 budget at a special called meeting Monday night.

The new rate of $1.2547/$100 valuation was adopted and made possible by the district having decreased debts according to Brownwood ISD Superintendent Reece Blincoe.  The interest and sinking portion of the tax rate at $0.2147/$100 valuation is 5¢ less than the past year’s tax rate.  The maintenance and operation portion of the tax rate is set at $1.04/$100 valuation.  The result is that a resident who owns a $75,000 home will pay $37.50 less in property taxes next year according to Deputy Superintendent Kevin Gabaree.

BISD’s total budget of more than $30,500,000 consists of $27,067,734 maintenance and operations, $1,827,000 for school nutrition, and $2,610,000 for debts.

Blincoe stated that he was pleased with the budget which included raises for school employees.

“I think we passed a strong budget.  We’re able to give teachers raises and have money to give really strong programs,” said Blincoe.  “Hopefully we will get some good things done this year.  We feel fortunate that last year’s budget was in the black and we had some funds left and were able to give raises.”

Blincoe explained that last year’s budget paid for facilities improvements of $425,000 in turf for Gordon Wood Stadium as well as $130,000 for the new agricultural pavilion and had a $40,000 surplus.  This year’s budget includes a 3% raise to midpoint for professionals (lesser increases for teachers past the midpoint of 12 years) and 3% increase plus a yearly step raise for paraprofessionals (which equals approximately a 4.5-5% total raise).

“We’re trying to get the lower paid employees’ salaries up, you can feel a 5% raise,” said Blincoe.  “Our teachers are within 5% of the state average salaries.”