Lowndes Co. Board of Supervisors passes 2023 budget

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Cities and Counties across Mississippi are setting their budgets for the coming year today.

In Lowndes County, Supervisors passed what Board President Trip Hairston described as a “barebones budget, not much fluff.”

Most areas will remain flat, and many of the increases are due to increased costs.

Hairston says Supervisors were focused on 3 main areas: Paving and Maintaining Roads – 911 and the Sheriff’s Office, and Economic Development.

One point of contention has been the request from the Lowndes County School District.

There will be a 1.57 mill tax increase that will go to the district. After some back and forth, supervisors granted an increase of 6.99%.

That’s the maximum a school board can be granted without triggering a district-wide vote.

A total of 51.44 mills will be going to the district.