NATCHEZ — During a special-called budget hearing Friday morning, the Adams County Board of Supervisors approved tax levies and a $27.7 million operating budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

Adams County Administrator Joe Murray said taxes would increase slightly by .66 mills due to an increase in funding requested from the Natchez Adams County School District, which by law Adams County must fund.

This would increase the total millage from 116.12 mills to 116.78 mills, or $116.68 for every $1,000 of taxable property value.

One mill represents $1 of tax on every thousand dollars of taxable property value.

Murray said the total revenue projected for the 2019 2020 fiscal year is $29,330,779 compared to $27,743,545 received this fiscal year.

Ad valorem taxes account for 53.47% or $15,684,324 of the total budget, whereas in 2019 it accounted for 55.26% or $15,330,319, Murray said.

“There isn’t a whole lot of difference in the budget from last year but there were some things that were added this year from last year,” Murray said, adding grants that were received during the current fiscal year budget cycle were added into the 2020 budget.

Ad valorem taxes collected are projected to be higher than 2019 by $354,005 while other revenues collected — such as drug court participation, equipment sales, grants and property rent — are higher by $1,233,229, Murray said.

Murray said expenditures are projected to decrease from $29,779,601 in 2019 to $29,394,081 in 2020 after loans for equipment purchases were paid off, Murray said.

In other matters during Friday’s special-called meeting of the Adams County Board of Supervisors, the board:

4Unanimously allocated $105,857.58 to the Adams County Port to help with the installation of a crane.

4Unanimously allocated $1,000 out of the recreation fund for use during a fall festival Nov. 2 at the community park on Lagrange Road.