The six-mill tax hike in the city of Yazoo City’s upcoming fiscal year budget drew heavy criticism from over 30 citizens attending the recent public hearing.
Residents were mainly concerned how the increase in taxes will affect city services, including garbage collection, solid waste management, abandoned properties and an increase with personnel costs in different departments.
The discussion during Thursday’s meeting began with Marian Brown who was concerned about the budget in the mayor’s office, which ranged from personnel to contract services. The mayor’s office budget will increase from $739,068 to $756,007 in the upcoming year.
“Personnel services are manpower; that is salaries," said Mayor Diane Delaware. "Contractual services are if we hire an attorney or an engineer or something of that nature. Consumable supplies are paper, pencils, copies and cleaning up the building. Other services and supplies are insurance, workers compensation, travel and other things of that nature."
Magnolia Thomas took issue with the city’s decision to increase the garbage collection fees for residents. In the upcoming year, residents will see an increase of $6 in garbage collection fees.
"I want to know about your garbage fees going up from $21 to $27" Thomas said. "(That) is too much money for garbage, and I only put my can out once a week. I don't think they need a raise for garbage fees."
Pat Anderson and Susan Guion, who own businesses on Main Street, also had concerns about the increase in commercial garbage fees.
"I look at your commercial garbage fee, and it’s for businesses,” Anderson said. “You are going from $25 to $32.50. I don't see where that is warranted."
"We don't use garbage downtown," added Guion.
However, those questions were not addressed from the city council as the public hearing continued. But the discussion of garbage collection remained on the minds of the audience.
"Are we to expect the same level of service with the increases in garbage and trash" asked Francine Wallace. "I have a pile of trash at the end of my street now. I called at the beginning of the week for it to be picked up, and it's still there."
Wallace also asked about the increase in the budget for the City Code Inspector and Building Inspector.
"We added a half-a-person to code inspection and building inspection part-time," Delaware said. “So, there is an increase to be able to pay that person because we have so many junk cars and so many issues. We have one person handling that area. He needs assistance, and we are providing him with an assistant."
Delaware added that there is an enormous amount of trash within the community.
"It is astounding the amount of trash that we have,” she said. “No trash should remain on your property longer than a week. The intent (of the garbage fee increase) would be to provide improved trash collection."
Anderson had a few more questions about taxation on abandoned properties, the differences in the solid waste and street department budgets and other categories of the new budget.
"There are that many abandoned houses with that much less tax,” Anderson said. “There's not that many people here, and now we have taxes going up. I look at the street department, and it was $860,000 last year, and now its $645,00. I think that would be a pretty important item. And what is ‘capital outlay?”
Delaware said that capital outlay is considered the purchasing of equipment. She added that the change in the street department’s budget was “simply an accounting procedure.”
Marshal Conico, the city’s financial consultant, explained that the budget had originally placed funds in the street department that needed to be in solid waste.
"We found out that some employee costs and personnel should have been applied to solid saste, so we have shifted those costs," Conico said. Anderson also had questions about an increase in the area of Interfund Transfers.
Anderson was also concerned about the $305,000 increase in the city’s interfund transfers, which will be used to match grant funds for the city.
"It’s confusing to us," Anderson said. "Where do you get the money to match? From the tax payers? We don't have the tax base here, we don't have the personnel, and we don't have the people. If you don't have it, then you don't have it. You are increasing all over."
Delaware maintained that many of the increases in the budget were due to inflation and increases in other costs that they have no control over.
"Some of this can be controlled," Anderson replied. "You are really cutting to the core of things."
With only five minutes remaining in the public commentary session of the meeting, Delaware moved on to other questions from the audience.
However, Guion had several questions about personnel costs and salary increases within next year's budget.
"I have heard that all of the city employees got a raise across the board, is this true?" Guion asked. "Didn't you get a raise last year?"
"Yes," Delaware replied. "It was the first time city employees have got a raise in 10 to 15 years. Some employees had worked for the city for 15 to 20 years, and they were still making $7.23 an hour."
"When I look at personnel services in the mayor's office, there's $330,000," Guion continued. "How many people work in the city clerk’s office? You have a lot of salaries her. There is $77,000 for the building inspector. There’s $1.7 million at the police department and $220,000 for court services. How many people work on court services? These are all salary heavy accounts."
City Clerk Kanelia Williams said the salary figures are gross amounts, which include taxes, insurance, worker’s compensation.
Delaware ended Guion's questions by inviting her for a private meeting to look more closely at the incomes of individuals in those departments.
"You are going to find that there are very few salary-heavy people in Yazoo City, Mississippi," Delaware said.
Guion said she had more questions, adding that Delaware “talked 90 percent of the time.”
"Then I will not answer at all,” Delaware replied. "Go ahead."
Guion requested that the city council publish future plans they have to spend money awarded to the city, such as funds that Yazoo City will receive after the BP Legislation.
"We (the taxpayers) are less and less in number, and we are less and less in services,” Guion said. “We have to be able to work with the city and the mayor in order to try and build us back up. That is going to be really difficult if you raise taxes to the level that you are talking about. People are fleeing from here. We can’t bring people in when we are raising taxes. Please consider carefully these tax raises, and I hope that you don't run off property owners in the meantime."
Melinda Dees, a local Realtor, said that the tax hikes will affect her income, which is based off selling properties in Yazoo City.
"I do not live in Yazoo City, but my income is affected by Yazoo City property,” Dees said. “That’s why I am here today. It’s hard to get rid of your property when it’s in the city limits. The people are leaving Yazoo City. We have people buying properties in Madison County and driving back and forth, even if they work here, so that they don't get caught up in this tax situation."
Steven Hinson, a new local homeowner, said he estimated what his property tax would be before he moved into Yazoo City.
"I pay $300 a month just in taxes," Hinson said. "I was thinking about buying another property to turn into a rental house. Right now, the effective tax rate I am paying is 2.9 percent on the appraised value of my house. In Madison, they are paying 1.08 percent. I can save $200 a month there just in taxes."
Ward 1 Alderman Ron Johnson said he did not wish to raise taxes, but he feels “it is necessary.”
Ward 3 Alderman Sir Johnathan Rucker said that he wants the city to continue to be held accountable if and when the tax increase occurs.
"I want you all to hold us accountable,” Rucker said. "If we are asking you all to do this, and we are offering these services, then we are asking you all to hold us accountable too."
Ward 2 Alderman Andre Lloyd said he did not want to see Yazoo City turn into another Detroit.
“We have a lot of abandoned houses, and we definitely need our streets fixed.,” Lloyd said. “My taxes are going up also, and it hurts me. But I am willing to do that for Yazoo City because I want to see it get better."
Ward 4 Alderman Aubrey Brent Jr. said that he supports Delaware’s decisions.
"I have the utmost confidence in her and her abilities to help us stay afloat in Yazoo City," he said. "Don't lose faith in your city. We have a good mayor, and we have some alderman who are going to support her to keep Yazoo City moving forward."
