Public school taxes involve two figures which divide the school district’s budget into two “buckets.” The first is the Maintenance & Operations (M&O) budget, also known as the General Fund. The M&O fund is used to pay for the day-to-day operations of a district and includes items such as salaries, utilities, food, gas, supplies, etc. Approximately 80 percent of Harmony ISD’s M&O budget is spent on personnel salaries, benefits, and related costs.

The second is the Interest & Sinking (I&S) budget or Debt Service. This fund is used to repay debt for capital improvements approved by voters through bond elections. As a comparison, this fund is similar to a mortgage or home improvement loan. I&S funds may only be used to repay voter approved bond debt.

Proceeds from a bond issue can be used for the construction and renovation of facilities, the acquisition of land and the purchase of capital items, such as equipment, technology and transportation. By law, voter-approved bonds cannot be used to increase salaries or to pay rising costs of utilities or services.