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NATCHEZ, Miss. (AP) — Adams County is joining Mississippi jurisdictions that are raising property taxes for the coming budget year.
Supervisors tell The Natchez Democrat (http://bit.ly/1AuiHLM) that taxes are going up mainly to cover increased funding for the Natchez-Adams School District. The county held a public hearing Monday about the proposed budget.
The school district is asking for $811,855 more in taxes to help fund state-mandated teacher pay raises, remodeling and new equipment costs for one school, as well as costs associated with the district's plan to restructure various schools. Local governments must increase taxes up to a certain amount when school districts seek more money.
Supervisor Mike Lazarus says that in the past the county has lowered its tax rate to absorb school increases without raising overall taxes.
"We just can't do that this year," Lazarus said. "I feel for the taxpayers because I know how hard it is, but we can't keep cutting the counties taxes to make up for the school increases."
The increase from the school district totals 2.24 mills. For a home valued at $100,000 with homestead exemption, the total increase would be $22.
Adams County's proposed budget includes projected total revenue of $23,846,086, up from $23,394,519 this year.
The county will add nearly $20,000 to pay for emergency room visits for inmates that the county-owned hospital used to absorb and $32,401 for fire protection.
The increase in total proposed revenues comes from an increase in overall property valuation around the county.
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Information from: The Natchez Democrat, http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/
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