Warren County supervisors to raise property taxes to increase local funds for public schools

The Warren County Board of Supervisors is set to raise resident’s property taxes the maximum amount allowed by law.

The Vicksburg Warren School Board requested the tax increase to cover the district’s funding needs, and supervisors will vote to raise ad valorem taxes in early September by 10.59 mils. For property valued at $100,000, the increase will add $115 to the annual county property tax bill. The increase is expected to go into effect Jan. 1, 2020.

The amount of money provided to the school district by the State of Mississippi has been cut year after year. That money has to be made up somewhere, and taxpayers are now picking up the difference through their property taxes.

All five incumbent county supervisors are up for re-election this year. District 1 Supervisor John Arnold is facing a challenge from Ed Herring. Herring lost to Arnold in 2015 by 66 votes with a third candidate garnering 125 votes.

District 2 Supervisor William Banks will face Stan Collins in November. Will Halpin is also on the ballot but has stated to the Vicksburg Daily News he is “not really campaigning a lot” for this seat.

Democrat Charles Selmon is the 23-year incumbent in District 3 who was defeated by Shawn Jackson in the Democratic Party primary Aug. 6; however, Jackson did not garner the 50-percent-plus-one-vote margin needed to avoid a runoff. They will face each other again next Tuesday, Aug. 27, in a run off election. The winner of that race will go up against David Sharp.

John Carlisle lost by 20 percent to Marty Crevitt in the District 4 Supervisor race Aug. 6. Crevitt will face Jeff Holland in November.

District 5 Supervisor and Board President Richard George will face three challengers in November: Republican Kelle Barfield, who had a strong showing in the primary, and independents Carl Campbell and Hunter Vinzant.