To give credit where credit is due, we need to say “thanks” to the City of Natchez for doing what it said it would do.

Last week the City announced it had paid back the $350,000 payday loan it took out in December. The loan was necessary in order for the city to pay its bills — including its payroll — over the last few months.

Now that property tax payments have been received, the city is in a position to pay off the loan a day or two earlier than the bank required.

But our thanking the city for this is, of course, a bit tongue in cheek.

We wish the city didn’t have to borrow any money to simply pay its own bills in the first place.

In the last several years the city has borrowed from $1.3 million to $350,000 in tax-anticipation loans.

In fiscal year 2009-2010, the city managed not to take out such a loan, instead using some one-time money to defer the need to borrow.

But consistently, the city has found itself having to borrow money just to operate.

To their credit, city aldermen have cut expenses some and appear to have put the city in at least better shape than it was a few years ago.

But aldermen need to keep pushing for fiscal reform. The city will soon be halfway through its fiscal year — March 31.

That’s the perfect time for them to carefully, publicly review where the city’s actual expenses and revenues are to both budget and last year’s actuals.

Now — not in another six months — is the time to make adjustments to spending to reflect the current revenue realities. When aldermen do that and keep the city’s finances in good shape, then they’ll deserve a genuine “thanks” from all citizens.