NATCHEZ, Miss. – Adams County supervisors on Monday adopted the school board’s $14 million property tax levy that contains more than $400,000 extra to start funding school-building improvements that include constructing a new Natchez high school.
The county Board of Supervisors is required by law to accept the tax imposed by the Natchez-Adams School District board, but Monday’s split vote came with some dissenting voices. County supervisors re-emphasized their long-held belief that the appointed school board should not have the power to tax.
The state Legislature the past several years has rejected Natchez-Adams County officials’ request to enact a law making the local school board an elected body. Its five members are appointed by Adams County supervisors and Natchez aldermen.
The school board’s property tax levy for the coming year totals $14.2 million, of which about $445,000 is for the NASD’s school-construction plans, said Adams County Administrator Joe Murray.
The total tax amount equates to 53.2 tax mills – an increase of two mills from the millage rate the school board set last year, according to Murray. Used in calculating ad valorem taxes, one mill equates to $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s assessed value. The taxes are imposed on homes, automobiles and business properties.
NASD officials say they’re planning to soon start constructing an education facility by the current Natchez High School, which was built in 1961. When the upper-grade students move into the new school on Seargent Prentiss Drive, the old campus will be renovated for middle-school students.
County Supervisor Kevin Wilson was the lone vote Monday against the new NASD tax levy. Long an outspoken critic of the Natchez-Adams County public schools’ administration, Wilson sued the school board in 2017 in an unsuccessful challenge to plans for funding the school construction. This was before Wilson was elected a county supervisor last year and took office in January.
His case against the school board was set to be heard by the state Supreme Court last December but was settled out of court and dismissed – allowing the school board to move forward with its building plans.
Natchez-Adams County voters in 2017 voted down a $45 million building proposition partially paid for by a property tax increase. After the referendum, the school board moved forward with the scaled-down plan using alternative financial sources.
Wilson said Monday the school board needs to be “more financially responsible” in restraining its spending.
The Natchez-Adams County School District has been operating with a total budget of about $40.9 million in funds for the current fiscal year. For the upcoming year, the NASD has projected about $41.7 million coming in revenues.
While state legislators for years have consistently killed bills to make school board members be elected by Adams County voters, the public should continue to push for this, said Supervisor Wes Middleton. County board President Ricky Gray agreed, but he noted the past legislative attempts have been futile despite local consensus for an elected Natchez-Adams County school board.
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