LAUDERDALE COUNTY, Miss. (Queen City Newsfeed) – On Friday, the Lauderdale County School District presented their proposed budget for the 2024-2025 school year.
Revenues are estimated at $77.2 million while expenses are estimated at $89.5 million.
During the meeting, it was explained that the district has about $12 million in reserves to make up the difference between the revenues and expenses.
Director of Finance Tracy Luke explained that the budget is provisional and pending final numbers from Lauderdale County Tax Assessor on the millage rate for the next fiscal year.
“I think there was some speculation that we were going to approve the Ad Valorem today, but we are not. We are still working with the courthouse at this time, and they will not get final numbers until July, and until I get final numbers from the courthouse, I cannot finalize my numbers,” said Luke.
However, one citizen in attendance still expressed his concern over a possible tax increase.
“I’ve very much against the tax increases..
…I just wonder if there are alternatives looked at instead of going up in taxes, which is, I guess the easy thing to do…
…A guy told me that his parents retired 20 years ago very comfortably. They’ve lived 20 more years, and now they’re in a bind. Their property taxes and everything, the value on your house keeps going up, so they keep having reappraisalment and their millage goes up, and they keep having tax increases on the house, and they’re concerned about having to move out their house in their older age because they can’t afford their property tax anymore,” said concerned citizen Tony McDaniel.
Luke clarified that the district is already capped at 55 mills, so there will be no millage increase or decrease for the 2024-2025 school year.
The board will revisit the Ad Valorem Tax issue during their scheduled meeting in July.
