NATCHEZ — Ad valorem tax income for the Natchez-Adams School District is creeping back toward normal, though the school system is still down approximately $130,000 from last year.

The ad valorem revenue in January 2018 took a steep dive to $1,069,050, compared to 2017’s January income of $1,285,452.

Those losses numbers nearly doubled by February, when the ad valorem taxes received dropped again from $6,635,996 in 2017 to $6,259,404 — a difference of just under $400,000.

In an early March budget work session, business and finance manager Monica Anderson told the school board not to take caution yet, since many people had not yet paid their taxes.

In March, the numbers bounced back, recovering the lost $400,000, but still down approximately $130,000.

Anderson said she believed some people simply filed their taxes later this year.

“People just didn’t pay before by Feb. 1,” Anderson said.

January, February and March — being tax season — are usually the three most lucrative months of the year for the district.

With only three months left in the fiscal year, the school district needs to recover approximately $1.3 million to break even with last year’s ad valorem income.

Anderson said she based her budget for the 2017-2018 year off of the income from 2016-2017, as usual. If the ad valorem revenue does not rise, the district could go over-budget for the year.

Some tax-season funds will come in April’s collection, and Anderson said she hoped that would be enough to make up the difference.