STEVEN A. McCALEB
103 ALVERADO DRIVE
LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI 39560
PHONE & FAX: (228)-868-8428
E-MAIL: mccaleb5thdist@aol.com
WEB SITE: www.mississippiwebsite.com
STEVEN A. McCALEB
103 ALVERADO DRIVE
LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI 39560
PHONE & FAX: (228)-868-8428
E-MAIL: mccaleb5thdist@aol.com
WEB SITE: www.mississippiwebsite.com
August 27, 2001
By CHRISTINE HARVEY
THE SUN HERALD
Friday, August 18, 2006
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If you go What: Public hearing on the Long Beach budget for the 2001-2002 fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Where: Jeritza A. Pell Annex,
behind City Hall on East 2nd Street.
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LONG BEACH - City government is proposing to operate on $500,000 less in the next budget year so residents won't have to face a tax increase.
The Board of Aldermen will hold a public hearing Tuesday on Mayor Robert Bass' $13.6 million budget. The board is expected to vote Sept. 4 on the budget for the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
The city's millage rate, the unit used to calculate how much citizens pay in property taxes, would stay the same. However, the Long Beach School District has proposed raising its millage about 4 percent to meet anticipated expenses.
"I don't see how we can reduce millage, but I can't see any situation where the Board of Aldermen would adjust millage up to compensate for any loss of revenue," Bass said.
The budget is a half-million dollars less than last year's, mainly for two reasons: to pay for the increase in the homestead exemption for senior citizens and to offset the lowering of some property values last year after appeals to the state Tax Commission, Bass said.
The loss means that, without a tax increase, Long Beach can't fund anything special, such as last year's employee raises. The city does plan to buy five new police cars, however, Bass said.
"This year we're just trying to maintain the status quo," he said.
One potential sore spot is a projected increase in health insurance for city employees. In the police and fire departments alone, an extra $100,000 is in the budget for employee insurance. The city paid a similar increase to insure its employees last year.
As a result of the increasing costs of health care, the co-payments employees pay to insure their families are expected to rise. In a similar situation last year, some city workers had to cancel insurance for their families, and at least one firefighter quit to take a job in Biloxi, where the insurance costs less.
On another note, the city expects to have a surplus of nearly $590,000 in its general government fund, about a $1 million turnaround from Bass' first year in office.
The city maintains the fund, which ideally should be about $2 million, or a three- to six-month revenue cushion, in case of an emergency or natural disaster.
Also, for the third straight year, Long Beach has no plans to take out a tax-anticipation note, which allows cities to borrow money against what they expect to receive in taxes, Bass said.
The mayor credited the city's department heads for their ability to work within their budgets. This year, budget projections have been on target.
Bass said he hopes the city will be
able to continue living within its means and saving money so it can start
looking at long-term projects, such as improving drainage.
Christine Harvey can be reached at
896-2393 or at clharvey@sunherald.com.