Jul 16, 2002 By April Straughters 3 min read

BROWNSVILLE – The Browns-ville School district will reopen its 2002-2003 school budget after receiving an additional 1 percent increase in state funding. Business manager Bill Boucher confirmed Monday that the board will receive a 3 percent increase in state subsidized funding instead of the 2 percent originally thought when the board passed its budget last month.

The 1 percent increase is equal to 2 mills or $100,000, according to Boucher. One mill is equal to $50,000 in the district.

The board will decide at its monthly meeting Thursday on whether to shave the extra 2 mills from a recently passed 12-mill tax hike or apply the 2 mills to the district’s purchase of books that was reduced from $400,000 to $200,000.

The board approved an $18.5 million budget that included a 12-mill tax hike, a 30 percent increase, bringing the district’s millage to 51.2 mills.

Boucher recommended that the board keep the 12-mill increase and apply the additional mills to the district’s book purchase.

“I recommend that we keep the 12 mills and re-establish programs that we eliminated,” Boucher said. Boucher said he previously spoke to several board members who agreed with his recommendation.

The board did not comment on the issue.

Boucher originally proposed an 18-mill tax increase with 8 mills to generate $400,000 for the purchase of books.

Boucher, however, reduced the proposed tax increase from 18 mills to 12 mills by shaving 4 mills or $200,000 from the book purchase and 2 mills or $100,000 through a 1 percent increase in state funding.

According to Boucher, the budget will have to be reopened regardless of the board’s decision.

He told the board the additional 2 mills can not be used to pay down the districts $926,000 debt.

In a previous meeting, Boucher explained that he was able to save some money on book purchases by appealing to companies and declaring the district in financial distress. He said companies agreed to lower prices and split shipping costs. The district had originally planned on purchasing math, English and science books.

Also speaking at the board’s planning meeting Monday was Debra Suba, director of curriculum. She said a group of volunteer teachers from the elementary, middle and high schools had decided on a math book to purchase for grades K through 8.

She said she did not have a price as of yet, but expected one by the regular meeting Thursday and said it will be “real reasonable.”

Suba said the company, teacher’s chose to go with has designated the district as a “pilot school” to use a number of textbooks for free. She said the books include Internet service so students can use interactive programs and do homework on the computer without taking home their books.

She said teacher’s are “very pleased” with the books. She said the district will also able to use books next year for free and pay for them the following year at “good rates.”