By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

A public hearing, discussion and adoption of the 2012-13 budget is atop the agenda at Thursday night’s Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting.

Tim Rahill, the district’s chief business official, will ask the board to adopt the budget that uses information from Gov. Jerry Brown’s May Revise, which has been on display at the BUSD district office, 350 East K St., since Monday for public inspection.

As Rahill wrote in a report to the board, nothing about the governor’s budget is certain.

“The May Revise … relies upon the voters of California approving a November 2012 ballot measure that extends certain State taxes,” he wrote. “If the taxes are not approved, then funding would be taken from schools in the amount of $441 per student. That amounts to a loss in state funding of $2.1 million for Benicia USD.”

Nonetheless, Rahill recommended the board conduct the public hearing — which would take place Thursday — and adopt the 2012-13 budget. Once the state approves a final budget, he wrote, the school board will be presented any necessary revisions at its next meeting.

Also Thursday, Rahill will ask the board to approve a 50-cent increase in meal prices for the coming school year. “The lunch price would increase from $2.50 to $3 at all elementary schools and from $3 to $3.50 at the middle school and high schools,” he wrote.

Roy Owens, district supervisor of maintenance and operations, and Rahill will also ask the board to approve Superintendent of Benicia Schools Janice Adams’s “signing authority” on the project to “green” the Liberty High School-district office, currently under way.

“‘Signing authority’ means that the superintendent has the authority to sign contracts for the project,” Rahill told The Herald. Owens will also give a brief report on the project.

In addition, an official welcome reception will be held Thursday for two newly hired principals, Dr. Leslie Beatson of Matthew Turner Elementary School and Damon Wright of Benicia High School.

If You Go
The Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees will meet at 6 p.m. for closed session, and at 7 p.m. for the regular open session at the district board room, 350 East K St.

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