MUNSTER | School Town of Munster officials recently approved the district's 2009 budget totaling $46.7 million.

Rich Sopko, assistant superintendent, said preparing a precise school budget is difficult because some concrete information is not available as budgets are prepared.

Projected amounts must be made for many unknowns.

The general fund is budgeted at $31 million, which includes teacher salaries, fringe benefits, special education and utilities.

Capital projects are budgeted at $3.9 million, which includes upgrades for computer technology, roof and HVAC repairs as well as new equipment.

Debt service is budgeted at $8 million and pension bond debt service, which is for unfunded liability and doesn't impact taxpayers, is budgeted at $1.1 million.

Also budgeted are $1.9 million for transportation operations, $610,000 for bus replacement and $140,000 for the special education preschool fund.