In yet another sign of healthy cash flow, the Leander ISD board of trustees voted 5-0 on Aug. 1 to allow an additional $3,000 exemption of real property for adults who are disabled or at least 65 years old.

The exemption begins Jan. 1.

Williamson County already offers a $25,000 exemption for those 65 and older as well as a $15,000 exemption for the disabled, in addition to a $3,000 homestead exemption. Disabled veterans get an additional, variable exemption, according to county data.

Similar exemptions are also offered to residents in the cities of Cedar Park---$30,000 for 65 and older, $20,000 for disabled, variable for disabled veterans---and Leander---$10,000 for 65 and older, $10,000 for disabled, variable for disabled veterans.

Leander ISD has scheduled for Aug. 22 a public hearing and probable vote on the proposed 2019-20 budget of $358,686,073---a 6% increase over the previous year’s budget. State law mandates that school budgets must be adopted by Aug. 31.

The main reasons for the budget increase were more personnel to address growing student enrollment, pay raises from 4% to 7.7% and increased employer contributions to health care plans, according to LISD officials.

Despite the budget increase, the budget department has recommended a drop in the total tax rate to $1.44, including $0.97 for the maintenance and operations and $0.47 for the interest and sinking portions of the tax rate. The M&O drop is to meet a state mandated “compression” of tax rates.

A special meeting will be also held Aug. 15 to officially hire Bruce Gearing as the new LISD superintendent.

Board members Grace Barber-Jordan and Pamela Waggoner were not present at the Aug. 1 meeting.