NATCHEZ — The Adams County Board of Supervisors approved Monday a tax increase county leaders say is tied to the Natchez-Adams School District.

The supervisors hosted a public hearing Monday about the proposed budget for the coming fiscal year, which a handful of residents attended.

The county’s proposed budget includes a projected total revenue of $23,846,086, up from the current year’s budget of $23,394,519.

The proposed tax increase comes from a funding increase request from the school district, which Supervisor Mike Lazarus said the board cannot legally turn down.

The school district is asking for $811,855 more in taxes to help fund state mandated teacher pay raises, remodeling and new equipment costs for one school, as well as costs associated with the district’s plan to restructure various schools.

Lazarus said the board has been able to lower its millage rates in the past to absorb the school district’s increases.

“We just can’t do that this year,” Lazarus said. “I feel for the taxpayers because I know how hard it is, but we can’t keep cutting the counties taxes to make up for the school increases.”

The increase from the school district totals 2.24 mills. For a home valued at $100,000 with homestead exemption, the total increase would be $22. For the same home without homestead exemption, the increase would be $33.75.

The county is also adding nearly $20,000 to pay for emergency room visits for inmates that the county owned hospital used to absorb and $32,401 for fire protection.

The increase in total proposed revenues comes from an increase in overall property valuation around the county.

The board will have another public hearing at 11 a.m. Monday, after which the board will adopt its budget for the 2015 fiscal year.