NATCHEZ &045; It’s only a matter of time before the residents of Adams County find out just how much their taxes are going to be raised.

The school district is wrapping up its budgeting process, and the county’s process is well under way.

Though no final budget has been submitted to the county, and doesn’t have to be until Aug. 15, the Natchez-Adams School District estimated a 26 percent tax increase to fund the coming fiscal year, which started on July 1. The district’s original budget plan asked the county to supply $9,212,455 from ad valorem taxes.

Director of Business and Finance Margaret Parson said the board still has time to review the current budget and make additional cuts.

Once the county receives the school’s request County Administrator Charlie Brown will calculate the actual tax increase necessary. The Board of Supervisors cannot turn down the school board’s request as long as it is within legal parameters. By law the district cannot ask for more than 55 mills.

The increase required by the school district will play heavy in the minds of the supervisors when they consider tax increases of their own, Board President Darryl Grennell said.

&uot;By all means, we don’t want to put tremendous burden in the way of tax increase on the residents,&uot; he said.

Grennell acknowledged that an increase may be necessary though, if the funds just aren’t there.

Various county departments are completing their budgets and submitting them to the county this month, Brown said.

&uot;I’ve gotten a little over half,&uot; he said. &uot;I’m reviewing them and making corrections and putting them on a report.&uot;

Brown’s report will go to the board, which will determine if more changes need to be made.

&uot;They will determine who they want to call in and discuss the budget items they feel can be lowered or changed,&uot; Brown said.

Brown is also spending his time reviewing other revenues the county has, including national forest receipts, gas taxes, road and bridge taxes and payment for housing state prisoners.

After a proposed budget is agreed upon the board will have two public hearings, in hopes of gaining additional suggestions.

&uot;Sometimes the public hearings are beneficial and give us something we didn’t think about,&uot; Grennell said. &uot;After the first one we will come back and make modifications and then have the second one.&uot;

After the second public hearing the board will adopt a budget, which will go into effect on Oct. 1.

The budget and any tax increases must be published by Sept. 30. No dates have been set for the public hearings, but they will be before Sept. 30.