The Brownwood Independent School District Board approved a budget of $29,177,189 and set the tax rate at $1.2707 for the 2008-2009 school year during a special called meeting that lasted 30 minutes Wednesday evening.

Superintendent Reece Blincoe said this is a balanced budget and compared line for line very closely with last year's budget.

The tax rate remained the same with a maintenance and operations rate of $1.04 and an interest and sinking rate of $.2307.

Of $29 million budget, most of it -- $24,675,689 -- made up the general fund balance, with $1,555,460 in the school nutrition fund and $2,946,040 in the debt service fund.

In other business, the board approved the final amended general fund, food service and debt service budget for the 2007-2008 school year. Assistant superintendent Kevin Gaboree said the district closed out last year's budget with a $134,089 increase in ending fund balance over the year before.

Blincoe told the board that they would most likely cancel the November school board elections at next month's regular meeting since Tuesday's deadline to file passed with no opposition. Board members up for re-election are board president Michael Coppic, plus Nesa Morelock and Eric Evans, who were serving the unexpired terms.

The board will hold its next regular meeting on Sept. 8.