NATCHEZ &045;&045; The Wilkinson County School District isn’t proposing raising property taxes for the 2004-2005 fiscal year.

Instead, the district is simply shifting its existing millage around a little, said Superintendent Mildred McGhee.

The overall tax millage the district receives will stay the same, at 32.03 mills.

But while in the past 30.03 mills went to operate the district and 2 mills went to pay debt service, the full 32.03 mills would now go to operational expenses under the proposed budget.

That’s because the district has paid off a 10-year note it took out &uot;to pay for renovations … throughout the district,&uot; McGhee said.

The district is now paying its operating expenses with revenues of almost $7.168 million, more than 20 percent of which comes from ad valorem taxes.

Those taxes are paid on such things as houses, auto tags, utilities, business fixtures and equipment and rental real property.

Under the proposed budget, revenues to be used for operation would total almost $7.39 million.

Almost 23 percent of that amount

would come from ad valorem taxes.

That’s according to legal advertisements recently released by the district.

The budget will be explained in more detail, and the public will get its chance to give input on the budget during a hearing set for 10 a.m. Tuesday.

The hearing will be held at the superintendent’s office.

&uot;We’re asking people to come out&uot; to give input, McGhee said.