More than one dozen residents spoke during a public hearing for Leander ISD's 2013–14 budget, with many requesting that taxes be raised in order to pay off debt sooner.
On Aug. 29, the school board approved an unchanged property tax rate of $1.51187 per $100 of assessed value, resulting in a $327,506,103 total annual budget. Of the total tax rate, $1.04 of that funds operations and $0.47187 goes toward debt repayment, which is approximately 3 cents lower than the state's maximum 50-cent allowance.
Past LISD board member Elizabeth Frey used a shovel and a spoon to demonstrate her idea of what the board was doing to pay off debt.
"We need to be using the earth mover to get rid of our debt, not a spoon. I hope the visual will give you the message," Frey said. "Your I&S needs to be at 50 cents. You didn't do it this year, but you need to do it next year. You have got to get rid of this debt."
