WILLIAMSTON — After months of deliberating, the Anderson School District One Board of Trustees gave final approval to this year’s $54.2 million budget.

Only Wendy Tucker opposed the budget, after trying to amend it to remove about $700,000 in raised property taxes.

“You’ve done your best to shield our classrooms and instruction from the negative effects of this recession,” Tucker said. “But my concern is that the recession does not affect just the schools, but it also affects the entire community. And the future of our schools is dependent upon the future of our businesses. And our businesses invested in our schools, and now we have an opportunity to work with them and get through this difficult time.”

No one seconded the motion.

The property tax increase doesn’t apply to owner-occupied homes, but it does affect secondary homes, rental properties, vehicles and businesses.

South Carolina school districts do not levy taxes on owner-occupied property taxes for operations costs, but they do levy taxes on owner-occupied property taxes for debt.

The millage rate increased from 112 to 118.9, and the additional cost for a $50,000 property will be $20.70 a year, said Superintendent Wayne Fowler.

Most of the school district’s revenue, 82 percent, comes from state funds.

The district has eliminated 24 positions, reduced staff development expenses by $18,000, repairs and maintenance by $32,000 and travel by about $50,000.

It’s also cut the pay of at-will employees — retirees who’ve come back to work — by 25 percent, for a savings of about $243,000.

The district’s 2009-10 operations budget is about 1.8 percent lower than the 2008-09 budget of about $55.1 million.

The district received about $2 million in federal stabilization funds.

Fowler said this is the toughest financial year he’s witnessed while with the school district.