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Supervisors approve $15.2M budget
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| By: ADAM NORTHAM, DAILY LEADER Staff Writer |
September 16, 2009 |
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Confused over increased property values and a static property tax levy, a handful of Lincoln County residents sought assurances from supervisors Tuesday that the new budget for fiscal year 2010 did not include a tax increase and had been trimmed to the fullest.
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In a rare show of attendance during the annual budget hearing, approximately five citizens engaged supervisors over the $15.2 million spending plan, calmly but sternly inquiring into property taxes, tax levy millage rates and the manner in which annual property assessments are conducted.
The chief sticking point in the discussion was property values, with most of the speakers announcing concerns that the increased values would cause their own property taxes to spike and asking why supervisors did not lower millage rates for the coming year. The tax levy, expressed as a millage rate, is used in conjunction with property values to determine how much in taxes individual property owners pay.
County Administrator David Fields, who compiles the annual budget under guidance from supervisors, said the gains in local property values were offset by a sharp, state-mandated decrease in agricultural use values, coupled with an equally steep decline in car tag sales in the lagging economy. There were also a high number of exemptions around the county, he said.
Fields said the decreases combined to negate the property value increase, resulting in a countywide net assessed value increase of only $1.2 million, or .54 percent.
"Lincoln County, being so rural, we have a lot of agricultural use land out there," Fields said.
Thus, supervisors unanimously approved a budget for fiscal year 2010 almost identical to that of 2009. The $15,249,636 spending plan contains only two spending increases, both to be spent on local education. The Lincoln County School District will receive an additional $122,000, or .35 extra mills, to cover the cost of its voter-approved 2002 bond issue, and a $40,333 increase will be appropriated to Copiah-Lincoln Community College due to the increase in value of its five dedicated mills.
The countywide millage rate for fiscal year 2010 was set at 49.80, with the county school system's millage increasing to 50.98. The combined county millage is 100.78.
No county employees will receive pay increases under the new budget.
District Two resident Doyle Brown sided with supervisors, saying he understands that "sometimes taxes have to go up." But he attacked the Lincoln County Tax Assessor's Office, questioning the method in which property assessments are conducted and implying that the county's increased property values are erroneous.
Brown was recently awarded a $300 refund from supervisors because the tax office assessed and charged him for a building that was not on his property.
"If these people can make the mistake of charging a building that ain't there, how can we trust that office to go by and appraise our land?" he asked. "Are they just guessing at what's there? We need to look at this before we talk about raising land taxes."
Brown's charge prompted District Five's David Dunn to return to the podium and ask how local property values could have increased when prices are falling nationwide and foreclosures are soaring. For the second time, county officials referred such questions to Lincoln County Tax Assessor/Collector Nancy Jordan, who was not present for the hearing.
"This is something that you will need to sit down with her (about), but I think that is a legitimate question," said Lincoln County Chancery Clerk Tillmon Bishop.
When contacted Wednesday, Jordan said her office uses the most current data on land sales to appraise property, adding that local appraisals were adjusted as low as Mississippi State Tax Commission guidelines would allow. Although property values around the state are down, she said Lincoln County's values are not as low as other counties.
"Because it's a great place to live," Jordan said of Lincoln County.
Furthermore, Jordan said the state-mandated decrease in agriculture use values totaled around $7 million, and a further $7 million was lost in car tag sales, as consumers either held off on buying new vehicles or purchases cheaper, lower value cars. Also increasing county costs was the legislative car tag credit, which lawmakers lowered from 5.5 to 4.25 credits, she said.
"The value wasn't there," Jordan said.
But for homeowners facing higher property taxes this year, the value is there. Dunn, who spoke the most at the hearing, said the conflict between millage rates and property values "could be smoke and mirrors."
"In my opinion, I don't see where we should have a tax increase," said Dunn, who pointed out that his property taxes would increase $300 under the higher property values. "We're being nickled and dimed to death."
Dunn pointedly asked supervisors if they had considered making cuts to their own planned expenditures and if they had personally visited with business owners to take stock of the economic situation. Everything possible has been done to keep the budget low, they replied.
"That's the reason we couldn't get a raise," said board president the Rev. Jerry Wilson, referring to county workers.
District Three Supervisor Nolan Williamson said his district would operate with less than needed as well.
"I've got 363 miles of road I fool with, and I need two more men, but I had to hold off on getting them," he said.
District Two Supervisor Bobby Watts said the board "had done everything humanly possible to cut everything we possibly can."
Wilson agreed.
"In Hinds County, they're talking about laying off. It's a blessing we don't have to do that here," the board president said.
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©The Daily Leader 2009
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