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NATCHEZ — The Natchez Board of Aldermen passed its fiscal year 2024-2025 budget in a special meeting Thursday night.

The budget, which includes a beginning fund balance of $13,843,309.35, revenue of $42,777,968, and expenses of $45,080,434, took approximately 10 minutes to pass.

Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson said the beginning fund balance includes monies from grants and bonds that will be spent during the FY 2025 budget year.

“Expense is only more than revenue because of projects funded in that beginning balance that won’t be done and money spent until fiscal year 2025,” he said.

“This is a solid budget that accomplishes so much for Natchez without raising taxes. This is the fifth budget of our administration. Our fifth balanced budget. And our fifth without tax increases,” Gibson said.

The budget includes funding for several major city projects, such as Morgantown Road improvements, repairing the Canal Street Bridge, and “a historic pay increase for our Public Works Department,” Gibson said.

Of the budgeted revenue of $42,777,968, $37,278,517 is “new money,” he said. “The rest is transfers from city reserves, part of the beginning fund balance.”

The mayor said of the $37,278,517 in new money, only 37 percent comes from local taxes. “Sixty-three percent of what the city will take in next year is from state and federal grants and other appropriations. This means a lower tax burden on our citizens for which we are grateful,” Gibson said.

Ward 1 Alderwoman Valencia Hall, Ward 2 Alderman Billie Joe Frazier, Ward 5 Alderman Ben Davis, and Ward 6 Alderman Curtis Moroney voted to approve the budget. Ward 3 Alderwoman Sarah Carter Smith and Ward 4 Alderwoman Felicia Bridgewater-Irving did not attend the special meeting.