The budget presented by the Columbus Municipal School District at Tuesday’s public budget hearing creates a potential for Columbus taxpayers to owe less this year.
CMSD proposed a budget with revenues of $44,690,689 and expenditures of $44,373,645 for fiscal year 2015-2016.
Local revenues make up $12,709,313 of the proposed budget. Approximately 98 percent of local revenues come from ad valorem taxes.
This year the district is requesting $281,069 less in ad valorem taxes than last year and will be using fewer mills to cover operations and debt services.
“They’re going to decrease the mills 3.96,” Lowndes County Tax Assessor Greg Andrews told The Dispatch.
The district used 65.85 mills last year to cover operations and debt services. This year the district will use 61.89 mills valued at $207,000, allotting 52 toward district operations. The district can put as many as 55 mills toward operational costs.
“What that means is a reduction of $40 per $100,000,” Andrews said.
Owners of residential property would see a reduction of $40 per $100,000 of value. Commercial and rental property would see a $55 reduction per $100,000.
The potential reduction will depend on the board of trustees passing the budget August 5.
Andrews said that more important will be the budgets submitted by Lowndes County and the city of Columbus in September. Should either entity raise their mills more than the 3.96 reduction from CMSD, there will be no tax break.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.