NATCHEZ — Natchez police and fire leaders have made their message clear: These employees need raises if we want to keep them. In less than two weeks, the city will consider a 2 to 4 mill tax increase, with the goal of increasing wages for those who protect Natchez residents.

But what exactly is at stake with this millage increase?

What type of living do city police officers/firefighters currently earn?

If you ask police chief Walter Armstrong, increasing salaries is vital for not only for individual officers, but the department as a whole.

“If we want to change here, then we must do something different,” Armstrong said. “Our biggest problem is low pay … Once we fix that problem, we’re going to fix other problems to make the Natchez Police Department a premier department.”

Since Armstrong first became chief, he identified recruitment and retention as two of the most important issues facing law enforcement. Considering the current wages NPD officers receive, Armstrong said those two objectives become nearly impossible.

Armstrong used the word “embarrassing” when he described the attempt to lure prospective officers to a department when wages are so low.

“Why should a young man or woman starting out their careers choose our city when they can go 50, 100, 150 miles up the road and make more money?” Armstrong asked.

But they do not even have to leave Natchez to do that, as Armstrong pointed out that the Adam’s County Sheriff’s Office offers entry-level wages of more than $15 an hour.

Armstrong said NPD’s beginning officers make $12.18 an hour, or approximately $25,000 a year.

As for retention, the police chief laments the amount of officers lost over the past two years, especially considering the amount spent on training those officers.

Armstrong estimates the department spent $281,064 training 18 officers who left NPD over the past two years.

“That’s a lot of money paid through the city, and those persons left for whatever reason.”

Armstrong presented these figures to Natchez Mayor Darryl Grennell and the board of aldermen at a budget meeting Wednesday.

Ward 3 Alderwoman Sarah Smith — who has used the term “pitiful” to describe what law enforcement officers are paid — called the presentation “eye-opening,” specifically the section about money spent on job training.

Ward 2 Alderman Billie Joe Frazier, chairman of the board’s police commission, stressed that the city must find a way somehow to up the officers’ wages.

“We’re going to have to get this money from somewhere, because we’re losing these officers to places like the (Adams County Sheriff’s Office) and other surrounding entities,” Frazier said. “Twenty-two (officers) in two years.”

Grennell said the police (as well as fire) department essentially serves as a “training ground” for employees who eventually seek better opportunities elsewhere.

How much would the departments actually benefit from a tax increase?

Both Armstrong and Natchez Fire Chief Aaron Wesley have outlined desired pay-scale adjustments, with Armstrong’s request slightly more emboldened.

The police chief wants a pay increase for all of his officers, not just the entry-level ones. Armstrong proposed an approximately $3 per hour increase across the board for NPD officers. This raise would bump entry-level wages up to $15.25 an hour, or approximately $32,000 annually.

During Armstrong’s meeting with the aldermen, Ward 6 Alderman Dan Dillard asked Armstrong if he would consider initially just raising starting wages, but Armstrong said that would not work because the gap between pay scales is not large enough.

“If you did that, you’re going to have new people making more money than guys that have been here (a while),” Armstrong said. “It’s not just the new people that are not making much … it’s the entire force.”

Dillard asked Armstrong to provide information in the future showing NPD’s pay-scale structure is not “top heavy,” with higher-ranking officers earning far more than beginning employees.

Armstrong said that was not the case and he could provide corroborating information to the board.

As for the fire department, Wesley’s proposal would bring starting wages up from $8.36 to $9.21 an hour.

Wesley noted, however, that figure still would not reach the state’s recommendation of $10.10 an hour for starting salaries. Department’s that do not meet that recommendation are unable to receive certain benefits, such as reimbursement for on-the-job training.

How large of a tax increase would satisfy NPD’s and NFD’s requests?

Ward 1 Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis said Friday the city would receive approximately $117,000 of additional revenue for each mill increased.

A 2-mill hike, by that figure, would give the city approximately $234,000 to divvy among the police and fire departments.

Demonstrating how the funds could be allocated, Arceneaux-Mathis suggested if the city approved a 2-mill increase, the money could be “earmarked” by percentages. Arceneaux-Mathis said giving 60 percent of the additional revenue would give NPD approximately $134,000 to use for wage adjustments. The remaining 40 percent would give the fire department, approximately $93,600 to utilize.

But Armstrong has said his proposed wage increase would require approximately $200,000.

When also considering the city is budgeting between $40,000 and $45,000 for a new recreation department head this upcoming fiscal year, the question arises whether a 3-mill increase is more likely.

Arceneaux-Mathis said a 3-mill increase is possible, but seemed to indicate a 4-mill hike would be too much.

These issues will be discussed at two upcoming public hearings: one at 4:30 p.m. Thursday and one at 5 p.m. Sept. 15.

Both hearings are scheduled to take place at the City Council Chambers building, located at 115 N. Pearl St.