Pay raises, tax hikes, and paving: Local governments start the budget process for FY 2025

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s that time again; local governments are starting to talk money.

The budget process for Fiscal Year 2025 has begun in earnest, and Monday in Lowndes County it was time for Supervisors to hear from department heads.

Managers brought in their lists of priorities, needs, and wants.

Supervisors will take those lists, work with the department heads to hammer out compromises, and come up with a workable spending plan.

The two things that get the most interest from residents tend to be increases in two areas: taxes and employee pay.

Supervisors say it’s a little early in the process to have those answers, but they want a plan that works for taxpayers and helps them keep good people.

“But, we have to be realistic. You know, some of these things are going to have to be spread out over so many years to allow us to be able to fit them into our budget, but we look forward to being able to work with them to try to make this situation a reality, because, again, they wouldn’t be here asking for some of these things unless they needed them.”

City and County budgets have to be finalized by September 15th.

The Fiscal Year for those governments begins October First.