NATCHEZ — On July 3 the Natchez-Adams School District Board of Trustees will meet to host a public hearing to discuss the district’s 2009 budget.

The district is publishing advertisements in The Democrat labeled “notice of tax increase.”

However, the language of the ad is somewhat misleading, district Business Manager Margaret Parson said.

Parson said the ad is legally required any time the school board will pursue a budgetary increase.

But the increase in budget will not translate to an increase in taxes.

Parson said the district is allotted a millage of 53.95 mills derived from taxes.

The increase the school board will request should not necessitate any elevation in the millage rate.

“We don’t want to raise taxes,” Parson said.

Parson said the ad was necessary because any time the school board is requesting an increase, even if the millage is not impacted, the ad must be run.

The school board is scheduled to ask the Adams County Board of Supervisors for approximately $23,000 in additional funding.

Supervisor Darryl Grennell said the supervisors are legally bound to grant that request provided it does not exceed the millage cap of 55 mills.

Parson said the new funding will not be earmarked for a specific project but instead to keep up with increased costs of several things.

“Things like our utilities and fuel costs are going up,” she said. “It just goes into the pot to pay all the bills.”

The budget hearing will be at 4 p.m. on July 3 at the Braden Building. The meeting is open to the public.