NATCHEZ — In little more than a week, the Natchez-Adams School District will host its first public hearing to discuss the budget for the 2009-2010 school year.

But with unanswered questions looming at the local and state levels, it’s hard to know exactly what will be in that budget.

Natchez-Adams School District Business Manager Margaret Parson said the district doesn’t yet know what the value of one mil will be — the value changes based on property assessments.

“Right now we have to make the best projection we can,” Parson said.

The district is not planning to ask for an increase in millage though.

Current projections indicate the new budget will be approximately $40.3 million with 27.29 percent of that amount coming from ad valorem tax.

Parson said the budget’s ad valorem allocation this year is up from the previous year’s 24.28 percent due to state-mandated increases in property assessments.

But the current projected percentage could change since assessments are still being processed.

The current value of one mil is approximately $184,000, and the new millage value won’t likely be known until late July, Adams County Administrator Cathy Walker said.

Last year the state funding accounted for $17 million, but without a state budget, no district knows how much will be coming this year.

“It’s money that we rely on,” Parson said.

And without critical information needed to complete the budget, Parson and the rest of the board have to plan carefully for the coming year.

“We’re restricted on what we can do,” Parson said.

Without an accurate idea of what the budget will be next year the district will spend carefully and put any non-essential projects on hold until they know how much can be spent in the coming year, Parson said.

“Until then we can’t do much but wait,” she said.

The school district meeting is at 4 p.m. on June 25.