Leflore County residents and businesses can expect an increase in property taxes for the coming year.
The Leflore County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 Monday in favor of a 2.5% increase, with District 3 Supervisor Anjuan Brown and District 1 Supervisor Sam Abraham voting no. Board President Robert Collins made the motion and was seconded by District 2’s Reginald Moore.
“We gave two pay raises and provide the best services to the citizens of Leflore County, and we need to continue providing those services,” Moore reasoned before voting.
The board had been deliberating whether to use $466,000 of federal coronavirus relief funds to cover some of the county’s operating expenses, but the majority ultimately opted to leave the American Rescue Plan Act funds reserved for onetime projects, such as water and sewer upgrades.
The financial blueprint adopted was one of three options presented by North Central Planning and Development District, which helped the supervisors develop the budget for the year beginning Oct. 1.
Even with the tax increase, the budget projects the county will use almost $325,000 in reserves.
Another option, which was preferred by Abraham and Brown, would have used the ARPA funds and left the tax rate unchanged. It would have reduced reserves by an estimated $619,000.
“I don’t believe we should tax our people any more,” said Brown. “Everyone is going through a tough time, and we had other avenues open.”
The third option, using the ARPA funds plus the tax increase, would have increased reserves by more than $141,000.
District 4’s supervisor, Eric Mitchell, explained his vote in favor of the tax increase this way:
“We don’t want to go into a year with restraints for helping our citizens. We want to give our best and be able to provide for them, and it’s a sort of give-and-take process. We have to pay for that somehow.”
Kelly Magee of North Central Planning and Development District said next year’s budget could have been balanced by using the ARPA funding and not raising taxes if money currently covering temporary expenses with the jail was reallocated to other purposes.
Taxes for the Greenwood Leflore Consolidated School District are also expected to rise.
The district has requested 2% more in local funding, but the Board of Supervisors must still determine the tax rate to generate the revenue requested for the schools.
On Monday, the supervisors also went into closed session to discuss a jail proposal and industrial prospect but took no action.
- Contact Katherine Parker at 662-581-7239 or kparker@gwcommonwealth.com.
