NATCHEZ &045;&045; Wilkinson County supervisors have a tough budget process ahead of them, according to Chancery Clerk Thomas Tolliver.

Tolliver also asked supervisors this week to freeze any unnecessary expenditures.

&uot;The fund balance is getting low &045;&045; real low,&uot; Tolliver said. &uot;Anything that we need to spend taxes on, let it be bare necessities. Money’s running low. It’s a time of year when it’s running low for every county.&uot;

Supervisors President Robert Morgan agreed. &uot;That’s statewide,&uot; he said. &uot;It happens every year around this time.&uot;

As supervisors approach the budget process for the fiscal year that begins in October, they will have some new state-mandated expenses &045;&045; including a raise for county officials.

&uot;The governor didn’t raise taxes, but he put it on us to raise them,&uot; Morgan said.

Tolliver said he would also ask departments to share equipment and materials.

&uot;To offset some expenses, we’re going to try to work together so we don’t have to duplicate some expenses,&uot; he said.