While DeKalb County school officials consider possibly laying off staff, Decatur city school officials next year may actually add positions — but they also want to raise residents' taxes.

A proposed $37 million general fund budget will go next week before city school board members for preliminary approval, and includes a 1 mill increase in owners' property millage rates.

The increase equates to about $100 more in property taxes on a home valued at $200,000. This is the first city school millage increase after four years of rate reductions. The new rate clocks in at 19.90 mills. By comparison, the rate in 2004 was 20.24, but had declined to 18.90 as of this year.

The proposal comes as the system, now with 2,500 students, grew by about 100 children. It adds three new fourth-grade teachers, two new kindergarten teachers and new middle-school Spanish and choir instructors. For existing staff, it also includes a 2.5 percent pay raise in addition to a 3 percent "step" increase.

Step increases are a salary supplement based on years of experience. DeKalb officials originally proposed not giving county staff step increases, but school board members have suggested cutting some positions in order to restore them.