The Eanes ISD board of trustees voted May 24 to approve a district employee compensation plan that includes a 2 percent salary increase and a 5 percent benefits increase. Although the board members voted unanimously on the increases, trustee Ellen Balzathar said she would have liked to raise the salary by 2.5 percent and not include a benefits increase, citing the fact that not all employees take advantage of the district’s benefits plan. She said not increasing the benefits reduces the amount teachers must give to the state Teacher Retirement System, or TRS. Last year, the board increased salaries by 2.8 percent and did not adjust employees’ benefits. Superintendent Tom Leonard said the salary increase would keep the district in competition with other nearby districts like Lake Travis ISD. “Simply, we really value our staff,” he said. “We want to attract good personnel and we want to retain them.” Leonard said the district was “constrained significantly” by the budget and the estimated $71 million recapture contribution it made for the 2015-16 school year. “We’re doing about as much as we can do,” he said. “I wish I could do more.” The trustees also received an update on the 2016-17 proposed budget, which they are scheduled to vote on at their June 21 meeting. David Edgar, the assistant superintendent for business services, said he predicts the total revenue for the next year will be $152.5 million and total expenditures will be $154.2 million, which means the district must draw $1.7 million from its fund balance, or savings account. He said he expects an additional $5.6 million of debt will be paid off early in the 2016-17 school year, saving taxpayers about $4.9 million in interest. “Everything is based on assumptions,” Edgar said to the board. The board will reconvene June 7 at 6 p.m. for a special meeting.