NATCHEZ, Miss. – City officials are allowing the public Thursday to make comments and ask questions about the budget being prepared for funding municipal programs and services in the upcoming year without a tax increase.
The proposed budget includes $1 million for repaving more Natchez streets, said Mayor Dan Gibson. There’s also $150,000 itemized in pay raises for employees in the Public Works Department.
“We are in excellent financial condition when you look at how our numbers have increased in all the things we’re able to do without raising taxes,” Gibson said.
No general tax increases are being planned for the proposed $37.5 million budget funded by what the Board of Aldermen levy on properties, such as homes, vehicles and business fixtures. This budget for the fiscal year that begins next month calls for about $154,000 more than the past year’s $37.3 million in revenues. That doesn’t include funds from other sources, such as federal and state grants the city has.
For the fiscal year that began last October, the city began with $51 million in the budget. About $6.7 million of that was from property taxes. The proposed budget for next year calls for $6.2 million from city property taxes.
“For the fifth year in a row, this administration, this Board of Aldermen are producing a balanced budget – a budget that also accomplishes great things for Natchez,” Gibson said.
He made special note of “historic raises” planned for employees in the Public Works Department, which has been struggling to attract and retain workers because of low pay.
The $1 million for repaving streets adds to the $6 million allocated last year for putting new surfaces on more than 50 city streets. Also being budgeted is money for the Canal Street bridge that needs to be stabilized as plans are underway for its eventual replacement.
The public budget hearing is scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers on South Pearl Street across from Natchez City Hall.
Unlike past Natchez administrations, there have been no public sessions by the mayor and aldermen while they’ve had “one-on-one” discussions privately in working out the budget to present Thursday. Alderman Felicia Irving requested a public budget work session be held last week, but the five other aldermen turned her down.
Gibson promised a “full discussion” about the budget will be done at the public hearing.
After the public hearing – which are usually sparsely attended – the Board of Aldermen is planning to finalize the budget Sept. 12 for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.
The budget hearing is to be livestreamed on the city’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
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