They can. That doesn’t necessarily mean they will.

The Lawrence school board in upcoming weeks could opt to raise local property taxes – an option approved for school districts by the Kansas Supreme Court in its recent school finance ruling. That would mean about $960,000 in additional money to the Lawrence district.

But increasing the load on local taxpayers is a path board members say they will walk cautiously months after the passage of $63 million in bond issues for construction and technology.

“It’ll be on the table,” board member Linda Robinson said. “I think it’ll be a sensitive issue.”

In its ruling Friday, the state Supreme Court OK’d a provision to increase the limit on high school districts’ local option budgets. A local option budget can now account for 27 percent of a district’s general fund, up from 25 percent.

In an interview last week, Supt. Randy Weseman predicted the district would eventually raise local taxes. But on Monday he declined to say whether the board would increase the local option budget this year.

“I don’t have a vote,” he said. “I have no say so over it.”

But the idea of increasing the local levy has some support.

“I have no problem whatsoever coming to the conclusion that we could use that extra million dollars,” board member Rich Minder said.

Some other board members opted to wait until the board meets again next Monday to discuss the issue.

“I can’t answer that without discussing it with the board,” board President Leonard Ortiz said.

The district’s local option budget brings in about $12 million for the district annually. It currently is about one-fifth of the district’s $61.6 million general operating budget. Local option budget funds can be used for just about any district needs, including salaries, Weseman said.

If the board opts to raise local taxes for the 2005-06 school year, it must decide to do so by early September, Weseman said.

A 1992 law provided for local option budgets. The district has increased its reliance on the funds as state funding has declined. The district’s total budget, which includes spending for capital improvements, is $94 million.

“I don’t see (the local option budget) going away,” Weseman said. “That would pretty much sink us.”