NATCHEZ &8212; The Natchez board of aldermen passed next year&8217;s budget Thursday with very little change and no tax increase.

The budget was identical to last year&8217;s except for police, fire, public works and legislative raises, City Clerk Donnie Holloway said. The millage rate would stay the same, at 42.732 percent, he said.

The total for next year&8217;s budget was $30,693,989.

The board of aldermen and the mayor will look at the budget soon and go over each item in detail, Mayor Phillip West said.

They needed more time to look at the budget that by law had to be approved by Sept. 15, he said.

The board held a budget meeting Sept. 5. It was then they decided to pass the budget and make changes afterward.

Holloway said the Sept. 5 meeting was the first time they saw a proposed budget. That proposed budget, including new requests, was balanced, Holloway said at the time.

At Thursday&8217;s meeting, Alderman Bob Pollard said he thought looking at the budget in detail with plenty of time was a good idea.

&8220;I know some things we do get put on the back burner,&8221; Pollard said. &8220;I, for one, would like to keep this on the front burner. I like the idea of going line by line.&8221;

West said the extra time would allow them to &8220;make sure our priorities are straight.&8221;

A couple residents said they would like to see more allocations for roadwork and the Forks of the Road site.

Resident Casey Hughes asked if the board would have another hearing after later changes to the budget.

West said another hearing would not be required.

, but that the changes would be published and comments and questions at regular meetings were welcomed.