TOPEKA ? The Lawrence school board tonight is expected to decide whether to raise local property taxes to the highest possible level allowed by law.

If they opt to do so, the district would bring in an additional $1 million, according to district figures. Those funds could be used for just about anything, including salaries, Supt. Randy Weseman has said.

The Kansas Supreme Court earlier this month gave its OK to a provision in the school finance law to increase the limit on school districts’ local option budgets, or LOBs. Under the change, an LOB can now account for 27 percent of a district’s general fund, up from 25 percent.

The Lawrence district’s LOB currently brings in about $12 million for the district annually. It is about one-fifth of the district’s $61 million general operating budget.

If the board doesn’t make a decision tonight, the matter could be deferred until the board meets again on Aug. 8.