WALTHALL — The Board of Supervisors adopted Webster County’s new budget and tax levy following a public hearing on Monday.
Supervisors adopted the 2019-20 county budget and tax levy in separate motions. This came after board attorney Buchanan Meek Jr. gave an overview during the budget hearing; no public comments or opposition were received.
The budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 has projected revenue of $8.72 million, compared to the current $8.77 million.
Of the total budget amount, 79.26 percent will be financed through a total ad valorem tax levy. Millage will increase 0.812 mills to 113.812 mills. A mill is the amount of tax per one dollar of assessed value. The county’s net assessed valuation, less special homestead, is $65.69 million. The projected value of a general county mill is $60,475 while that of a school mill is $62,522.
The two-largest millage amounts in the new tax levy are 47.42 mills (up 1.576) for School Maintenance (operations) and 38 mills (no change) for the General Fund (no change). The levy has decreases totaling 0.064 mills for School Shortfall and a School 3-Mill Note, and another 0.75 mills for reappraisal. The limited tax note was issued three years ago to fund the reroofing of the Career and Technology Center and buy new school buses.
Meek noted the budget has only a slight tax increase in order to run the county schools, and board President Pat Cummings commended the school district for not requiring a higher amount in light of its providing a security team at the county schools the last two years. A security firm is also providing one armed officer per school every school day this year.
TRL Funding
This summer, the Tombigbee Regional Library System and local library supporters had requested that the county increase TRL’s funding by $12,000 for the next fiscal year.
The board budgeted half that amount, or $6,000, for a total of $43,300. Meek explained that the county had been giving $5,000 to the Webster County Public Library in Eupora, which it was turning over to TRL. The board decided to budget that amount for TRL plus an additional $1,000 for fiscal 2020.
The board worked on the budget throughout July and August.
