NATCHEZ — Just how much and how quickly the Copiah-Lincoln Community College may be able to expand its Natchez campus in the future could depend on a tax increase.

Co-Lin President Howell Garner asked the Adams County Board of Supervisors to consider raising the tax millage that supports the college to five mills Monday.

The college has outgrown its current Natchez facilities and cannot expand or add programs because it does not currently have the space, Garner said.

“The space we have is not conducive to all programs,” he said. “You don’t need to have respiratory therapy next to welding.”

Overcrowding in classrooms — especially the nursing program — is also an issue, Garner said.

“They need classrooms where they will not have to have students turned around from the board,” he said.

Expanding the college’s current facilities would allow it to focus on economic development programs for the area, Garner said.

“We can provide Adams County’s future workforce with training, but we need the facility to do it,” he said.

The increased funding would also help the college build a fine arts facility, which would house art, music and performing arts programs, Garner said.

“I believe there is tremendous local support for an increase,” he said. “We’re interested in helping this community be all it can be.”

The college can still get some funding from the state, but with Adams County dollars they can begin the expansion with fewer delays, Garner said.

Garner approached the board with a similar request in 2006, but the board decided not to grant it because it would require raising taxes.

The supervisors decided Monday to delay any decision until budget deliberations could be made.