Austin ISD trustees discussed budgeting for a 3 percent districtwide salary increase for all AISD employees in the 2015-16 school year during a June 23 board retreat.

The trustees’ potential decision would replace AISD staff’s preliminary proposal for a 1.5 percent increase for all staff, and an additional 1.5 percent for teachers, librarians and counselors with five or more years of tenure with the district. The board must vote to approve the budget by Aug. 31. Trustees said they also want to plan for a 2-3 percent salary increase in 2016-17 but did not commit to a firm amount.

Trustees all voiced their proposals at the retreat. Trustee Paul Saldaña expressed his desire to implement a 5 percent increase for employees, which is what some AISD staffers called for at board meetings in the first half of this year. Saldaña’s second option was a 3 percent increase for 2015-16 and another 3 percent increase in 2016-17.

Trustee Kendall Pace said she was in favor of a 3 percent districtwide increase in 2015-16, but $13 million, which is the estimated amount that has to be cut from the budget for the increase, is “a lot that they have not identified.”

AISD faces paying recapture, known as “Robin Hood.” Through recapture, so-called property-rich districts such as AISD are required by state law to send money to the state to be redistributed among districts that are deemed property-poor.

Trustees widely panned the option of holding a tax ratification election, or TRE, through which voters would consider approving a tax rate increase.

“As painful as it is, [a TRE] is our last resort,” Saldaña said. “I wouldn’t recommend doing it in November or June because we have to look at other taxing entities and when they’re doing elections.”