School budget approved

— The proposed budget of expenditures with tax levy for fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011, to and including June 30, 2012, was approved by Pea Ridge School Board members during a very brief special meeting attended by three of the five board members. Present were president Jenny Wood, Clark Tyndal and Darin Wright.

“This is part of the election process,” school superintendent Mike Van Dykeexplained. “We do it every year.”

The budget includes $5,023,000 for salary fund expenditures, $1,638,000 for instructional expense, $1,092,000 for maintenance and operation expense, $546,000 for pupil transportation expense, $983,000 for other operating expense, $96,605 for non-bonded debt payment and $987,458 for bonded debt payment.

The total school tax rate (state and local) is listed at44.8 mills on the dollar of the assessed value of taxable property and includes 25 mills specifically voted for general maintenance and operation and19.8 mills for debt service previously voted as a continuing levy pledged for the retirement of existing bonded indebtedness.

According to the proposed budget of expenditures, the surplus revenues produced each year by debt service millage may be used by the district of other school purposes.

On the Record, Pages 7 on 06/23/2010