Lowndes Supervisors approve new budget for the next fiscal year
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Covering costs is costing more this year for Lowndes County.
At this morning’s meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved what they describe as a “bare bones” budget for the next fiscal year.
That budget comes with a $2 million increase from the county, which was slightly offset by a decrease in the millage for the Lowndes County School District.
In all, it means a tax increase of about $11 for every $100,000 of a home’s value.
Supervisors said the budget is a tight one, largely due to increasing costs for everything from food for prisoners to vehicle and equipment maintenance to road materials, and insurance.
There is also a loan service for the purchase of the CINCO Megasite, a small pay increase for county workers, and an increase in the county’s contribution to the state retirement system.
“So, these are some things that are really beyond our control; however, we’re doing the best that we can do to try to mitigate that and look for the best prices that we can. So, when I say that it’s a ‘bare bones budget,’ it is in the fact that we’ve taken on so many increases in things like feeding prisoners, keeping cars on the road, maintenance of equipment, and all those things. And we do not want to erode the services the county provides the citizenry because of the increased costs,” said Lowndes Co. Board of Supervisors President Trip Hairston.
Budgets for city and county governments and school districts had to be finalized by today, on September 15.
