St. Johns Homeowners to Pay Less in School Taxes School District Proposes Tax Hike, but Growth Results in Lower Out of Pocket Costs.

Initial approval of the St. Johns County School District’s 2005- 06 fiscal budget went smoothly Tuesday, with school board members’ unanimous support and little public reaction.

About 70 percent of the district’s $213 million budget will come from local revenue, said Conley Weiss, director of finance.

School Board members also tentatively approved a lower rate on the amount of money collected from homeowners. If the new rate of 8.226 gets final approval in September, a home with an assessed value of $100,000, minus the $25,000 homestead exemption, would have to pay about $617 in school taxes, Weiss said.

Overall, the district is proposing to raise taxes in the county, but because of growth and increased property values, individual homeowners would pay about $4.43 less than last year.

Highlights from the tentative budget include:

Funding for the three new schools: Hickory Creek, South Woods and Timberlin Creek elementary schools.

Funding for 83 new teachers to accommodate growth and class size amendment requirements

Funding for a 6 percent increase in the amount of money available for faculty and staff salary increases.

$344,000 more for textbooks

$474,711 for technology funds at schools

Almost $2 million for remediation services

Funds to add four custodians, eight technical support specialists and eight health technicians at schools

$222,522 in additional funds for schools’ operating budgets

Weiss said 86 percent of the budget will go toward salaries and benefits and utilities.

Superintendent of Schools Joseph Joyner set the second public hearing and final approval of the budget for 5:15 p.m. Sept. 13 in the auditorium at 40 Orange St., St. Augustine.

Mary Willis, of St. Augustine, was the only person to speak during the district’s first public hearing on the budget.

Willis, a former school teacher, commended staff on putting money and taxes in the schools.

“Keep up the good work,” she said. lisa.miller@jacksonville.com,(904) 287-0618 ext. 202#