The county tentatively set the budget last week and cleared the way to formally present it to the public, but Board of Supervisor President Johnny Newson, called a special meeting this week seeking clarity on revenue.
Newson has kept a close eye on gaming revenue and has seen the figure drop from $4 million a little over 10 years ago to about $1 million this year. Newson said he was concerned the county’s revenue stream might not match expenditures at the end of the year.
County Administrator Morgan Wood said supervisors routinely adjust the budget with budget amendments and unexpected expenditures arise, expected expenses don’t materialize and department heads either overspend or underspend their budget.
County Comptroller Ann Hoskins said she was concerned the budget did not “finish out the year.”
Supervisors typically start looking at expenditures after the first fiscal year quarter which begins Sept. 30, and county coffers begin to empty through December. Taxpayers typically start paying their taxes in January improving the county’s bottom line.
Board Attorney Tom Ross pointed out the state only mandates a budget be presented by Sept. 30 and tax rates become public record.
“A budget is not written in stone,” said Ross. “It says this is what you have now, but we understand the revenue and expenses may go up or down.”
Supervisors voted to present a total county budget of $22,509,377 for the 2020-21 fiscal year last week, of which $9,365,923 will be raised through property taxes. Major changes included a projected drop in gaming revenue, cuts in the sheriff’s budget and a new levy for the Coahoma County Economic Development Authority.
Revenue from the casino in Lula dried up in March with the coronavirus shutting down the tourism/gaming industry in Coahoma County. Supervisors project a revenue drop from $2.1 million to roughly $1 million this year.
The sheriff’s department will see a $1,436,372 cut as their budget goes from $3,741,004 last year to $2,304,632 this year. Supervisors also cut the jail budget from $28,869, but moving into the new Justice Center on Desoto should help cut costs to both the jail budget and sheriff’s budget.
The county has also levied a new mill for EDA that will finance economic development and stabilize EDA’s budget from year to year.
The county’s overall tax increase rose from $8,742,794 in 2019-20 or up $623,129 for the upcoming year.
The county is also proposing a 4 mil levy this year. One mil raises approximately $152,000 for the county.
The county also cut most department budgets, but consolidated the purchase of computers, phones, internet services and data contracts under the supervisors and county administrator’s budget in an effort to leverage the cost of those items.
The county will hold a public hearing later this month and formally adopt the budget in September.
Coahoma County Tax Levy 2020-21
(Number are mills assessed)
33.76 -General County
1.0 -General County Mandatory
4.0 -Road Maintenance
4.64 -Bridge Maintenance
2.7 -Coahoma Community College
2.7 -Coahoma Comm. College Improvements
0.9 -Coahoma Comm. College Adult Education
3.90 -Coahoma High School Maintenance
1.10 -Carnegie Library
1.56 -Economic Development Authority
55.26 -TOTAL COUNTY WIDE LEVY
40.49 -Coahoma County School District
2.0 -Yazoo Levee Board
0.75 -Yazoo Water Management Dist.
6.0 -Waste Disposal
0.25 -County Fire Protection
104.75 -TOTAL LEVY
The county tentatively set the budget last week and cleared the way to formally present it to the public, but Board of Supervisor President Johnny Newson, called a special meeting this week seeking clarity on expenditures.
