City officials hope a proposed bill to place a lien on state income tax refunds to collect past due fines will help reduce or eliminate the almost $4 million in back fines owed the city.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen Thursday approved a resolution to support the bill that is being backed by the Mississippi Municipal League.

South Ward Alderman Alex Monsour said the bill will allow cities to go in with the state to collect the fines “and give us a vehicle to collect those fees. Hopefully, we’ll work this through the House and Senate and get this passed. That’s revenue that can help us.”

According to the resolution, the bill would allow the state to receive 50 percent of the collected $3.90 million in past due fines and fees presently due the city, or about $1.95 million.

“That being the case (the lien), hopefully that will encourage people to go ahead and take advantage of the payment plans, community service and other programs we have where they can make arrangements to pay off their fines before it gets to that point,” Municipal Judge Toni Terrett said.

Collecting past due fines has been a problem for city officials in the past. The city at one time hired a private collection agency to recover fines, and the city has an annual amnesty program that allows people with past due fines to pay them and avoid being arrested for contempt of court.

Terrett said the bill, if passed, might help the amnesty period.

“It could have a positive effect on the amnesty program if they (offenders) realize the consequence (of losing their refund).”

In other action, the board:

• Commended public works, utilities and traffic workers for their efforts in keeping the city safe during the winter storm that hit the city Tuesday and Wednesday.

• Awarded a contract to Suncoast Infrastructure of Florence to do the third year of the city’s continuing sewer assessment.

The assessment is part of a 2013 consent decree between the city and the Environmental Protection Agency to assess, map, repair, upgrade or replace one-tenth of the city’s 110-year-old sewer system each year over a 10-year period.

The consent decree was reached after EPA tests indicated the city’s aging sewer system allowed untreated sewage to be released into local streams, including the Mississippi River.