[8/11/04]Vicksburg officials said Tuesday their proposed spending plan for the next fiscal year will not require higher taxes.

No numbers for the budget are available yet, but the Board of Mayor and Aldermen set a public hearing for 7 p.m. Aug. 26 at City Hall Annex to accept public comment. Once approved, the spending plan and the property tax rate needed to fund it will go into effect Oct. 1.

Mayor Laurence Leyens said city taxpayers shouldn’t expect to see any tax increases with the new budget, which will also be an election-year budget. He also said this next year will be about finishing projects.

“We asked our department heads to come in with conservative budgets with no new capital improvement projects and they honored that,” Leyens said.

City officials said they are still working on the final number and hope to have a draft budget by the end of the week. This year the city has operated on about $27.2 million and a tax rate that has not changed in years. In addition to property taxes, collected on real and personal property including vehicles, the city’s major funding sources are a rebate of a share of the sales taxes collected in the municipal limits and taxes on casino revenue from wagers.

Already, the Vicksburg Warren School District has begun a budget year that will not require higher property taxes. Supervisors are also in the process of setting their budget.

In other matters the city board:

Adopted a resolution to amend the city’s charter to update the legal description of the municipal limits and other changes. The amendment had to be approved by the Attorney General’s Office and the governor before being adopted.

Adopted a resolution to support the Vicksburg-Warren Community Alliance’s efforts to keep local military installations.

Authorized applying for a grant under the 2004 Transportation Enhancement Tree Planting Program for trees to go along East Clay Street.

Approved a request to terminate the meter-reading contract with Baker Engineering. The city is installing radio meters that will go online in about a year. The company installing the new electronic reading devices will take over meter-reading services until then.

Adopted a letter of intent to partner with The Good Shepherd Community Center to administer grant funding for the charitable organization.

Authorized the City Clerk to advertise for bids for police uniforms.

Approved the claims docket.

Approved a $125,845 increase to a contract with Lampkin Construction to add work to reduce flooding through the Belle Meade subdivision

Authorized the City Clerk to advertise for bids for sewer improvements.

Authorized the City Clerk to advertise for bids for rough grading at the proposed softball complex off Fisher Ferry Road.

Entered a contract with Neel Schaffer Inc., of Jackson for $1,750 to survey the boundaries of the proposed downtown art park. The survey is needed as a part of a grant.

Approved a building code variance for the property at 1501 Washington St., to allow an overhead balcony along South Street to extend over the city’s right-of-way.

The city board will meet again at 10 a.m. Aug. 16 at City Hall Annex.