By MICHAEL STRAND

Salina Journal

Funding Salina's public schools will cost the owner of a $100,000 home roughly an extra $41 next year, as school board members re-affirmed a plan Tuesday to raise property taxes by just more than 3.6 mills for the 2008-09 school year.

The bulk of that increase is because of an increase in the district's capital outlay budget, from 4 mills to 6 mills, which was approved by the board in February. In all, the 6 mills will raise about $2.5 million, with the money split between upgrading technology, such as computers and computer networks, building maintenance and improvements, and vehicle replacement.

District business manager Lisa Peters spent more than an hour going through the inch-thick budget Tuesday with board members, explaining page-by-page where the money goes, as well as any significant changes from previous years.

Besides the capital outlay increase, other changes include an increase in state aid, up $59 per student to $4,433. The increase represents the third year of a three-year school funding plan that resulted from a 1999 lawsuit led by the Salina School District.

Overall, the budget will increase from $110 million last year to $123 million for the coming year, and the total property tax levy is projected at 58.605 mills.

The board has scheduled a special meeting for July 29 to approve the budget for publication and to set a public hearing on the budget for Aug. 12.

In other business, the board:

n Approved a timeline for the Salina Area Technical School to become accredited by the Chicago-based Higher Learning Commission. The timeline calls for accreditation to be achieved by fall of 2014.

n Approved the bid of Iowa-based Fisher Tracks for $52,723 to resurface the running track at Salina South High School, pending talks between the district and the company over how much of the cost will be covered by warranty. The company installed the original track in 2003.