Once again the City of Natchez has to make what we’ve affectionately dubbed as a “payday loan” to make its payroll.

Officially, what the city did Monday was agree — albeit in a split vote — to borrow up to $300,000 as a tax-anticipation loan.

Such loans are allowed by state law to help cities and counties overcome the cash-strapped season that often happens late in the calendar year before property tax bills go out and payments start being received.

For several years, the city has had to make such loans to “get by” and from time to time city leaders have either taken an apologetic approach to the need or simply suggested, “Everyone else does it, and so are we.”

What we don’t follow is why the practice must continue year after year.

In the current fiscal year the City of Natchez’s budget shows a $2 million budget surplus.

If that winds up being true and the city can manage to stick to its budget all year, logic would indicate the city would have enough surplus cash at the end of the current fiscal year to avoid the need for another series of tax-anticipation loans at the beginning of the next fiscal year.

If that doesn’t happen, residents will be left to realize that the problem isn’t a simply cash flow issue, but a greater challenge caused by the city having a spending problem.

We hope that’s not the case, and we hope the city can get its figurative hands around its fiscal affairs soon so residents can regain a little confidence in their government.