The Alpine School District will have more money for school nurses, counselors and extended-day kindergarten because of an expected 13.2 percent revenue increase in the coming budget year.

That includes a 21 percent increase in property tax revenue and a double-digit increase in state revenue.

"This year's Legislature was very good to us," said James Hansen, the district's director of budget and student accounting, of the 14 percent increase in state funding, totaling $253.5 million for the coming year.

The state funding requires some matching expenditures by the district. The state Office of Education budgeted $1 million into an Incentive Fund for hiring school nurses throughout the state, and Alpine School District plans to hire two full-time nurses.

"We'll be spending more money throughout the coming year on bond projects," added Hansen.

Seventy million dollars of the proposed expenditures will go toward bond projects, including a new elementary in Eagle Mountain, a new high school in Saratoga Springs and additions/remodels to four schools in the district.

Some of the projects were bid above the budgeted amount, but Hansen said they are working to reevaluate them to stay on track.

Educators will also see the $2,500 pay raises and $1,000 one-time bonuses originally promised by the Utah Legislature earlier this year.

In May's school board meeting, Rob Smith, the district's business administrator, said it was very clear that the Legislature had intended to give all qualified, educated and named employees the specified money. In FY 2008, the district will spend $22.1 million more on employee salaries.

Total revenue for the district is nearly $417 million, while expenditures total almost $501 million. Hansen said the $84 million deficit is due to bond expenditures in the 2008 fiscal year, while the revenue appears in the FY 2007 budget.

There was also money set aside from previous years for the district's first payment for Other Post-Employment Benefits, which include benefits employees earn over their years in a district that they don't receive until after ending their employment.

The district will hold a Truth in Taxation hearing in mid-August after the certified tax rate is set. A 0.0003 percent tax increase was approved in November's voted leeway, and 0.0001 percent of that will be implemented this fiscal year.

A copy of the budget is available at www.alpine.k12.ut.us. The district will adopt a tentative budget for fiscal year 2008 during the Board of Education meeting tonight.

Brooke Barker is available at 344-2559 or bbarker@heraldextra.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D1.