The Murray City Board of Education has adopted a $33.1 million budget for the 1996-97 school year, a financial plan that includes a 4 percent increase in salaries and contemplates hiring 10 new ele mentary school teachers to accommodate growth.
Enrollment projections suggest the student head count will in crease to 6,719 students, an increase of 48 over the Oct. 1, 1995, head count. The budget also reflects more than $250,000 in class-size-reduction funds. In addition to new teachers, the district will provide classroom assistants for classes above the target class size.The budget exceeds the current financial plan by about $1.6 million.
Murray City School District has no debt."`We are one of a few districts that are debt free. We pay as we go," said business administrator Richard Clark.
Three building additions are planned at three elementary schools: Liberty, McMillan and Longview. Together, the projects will cost more than $1 million. Remodeling of the Murray High School locker room is budgeted, with an estimated cost of $114,000.
The school district also plans to spend $106,000 to improve parking at Hillcrest and Riverview junior highs and Viewmont Elementary School. More than $155,000 will be spent on telephone systems for elementary and secondary schools.
An additional computer technician will be hired by the school district to help meet the rapid growth of technology in the district. Murray District recently completed a technology center at Hillcrest Junior High and is developing a similar facility at Riverview Junior High. All elementary schools will have Internet access and new computers are scheduled to be installed in elementary media centers. Murray High School is scheduled to receive updated computer in its media center and writing lab.
The budget and accompanying tax rate of .005579 were approved unanimously. No one commented at the public hearing conducted prior to the vote.
The budget calls for a slight increase in school lunch prices, increasing high school lunch price by a dime to $1.60 per meal.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Budget: Murray City School District
1996-97 budget: $33,103,704
1995-96 budget: $31,421,238
Where it comes from:
State funds: $17,725,903
Local taxes and fees: $12,626,502
Federal funds: $ 1,435,901
Where it goes:
Instruction: $17,184,720
Support services: $7,989,476
Capital projects: $3,649,173
Debt service: NONE
District valuation: $1.59 billion
Total tax rate: 0.005579