Taxpayers in Leander ISD can expect a 1.211 cent tax rate increase after the school board unanimously approved the measure Aug. 23. The $1.51187 per $100 valuation tax rate supports a $310.79 million budget for the 2012-13 school year.

The rate increase will fund the interest and sinking (I&S) portion of the overall budget, which pays the district's outstanding construction debt. Board members discussed spending money from savings to offset the tax rate increase, estimated by staff to be $1.2 million–$1.5 million. Ultimately the board approved the new tax rate, citing projected tax rate increases in the future.

"In previous years, we have taken the opportunity to use the fund balance and not raise [the tax rate]," board member Will Streit said. "It's a great thing to do when you're at the top of the mountain, but we're not there yet."

The total budget allocates $61.46 million for debt payments and $237.72 million for the general operating budget, which includes instruction, transportation, maintenance and other services. The self-sustaining food service budget totals $11.6 million.

The new budget reflects a 3.09 percent increase over the adopted the 2011–12 budget. It allocates $6,921 per pupil, a $231 increase compared to the previous budget, with projected enrollment totaling 34,349 students.