The town of Vaiden passed its 2018-2019 fiscal year budget Monday night during their monthly board meeting.
The board approved an $846,618 budget, which is a $55,011 increase from last year’s budget of $791,607. This increase also includes a four percent millage increase. Last year, the town’s millage rate was 42.05, this year this town approved an increase of 46.26, which is an increase of 4.21.
Tax Assessor Wilton Neal said for a $100,000 home, with homestead tax exemption, will now pay a difference of $42.10. For a person over the age of 65 or disabled, with homestead tax exemption will pay a $10.52 difference.
Also, the board heard from Laurin Stennis. Stennis has started a grassroots campaign to push for a new state flag. She came to Vaiden to garner the support of the town as she goes from town to town and city to city pushing for a change in the design of the state flag.
Stennis showed a picture of what she wants the flag to look like, which is red and white with one star in the middle and 20 smaller stars surrounding the bigger star and the state’s logo for Mississippi at the bottom.
The board also:
• Passed a proclamation declaring the month of October Racial Reconciliation Celebration Month for Mission Mississippi, a group that is trying to bring about racial healing in state.
• Heard from Mayor Mel Hawthorne who said he put in a request to receive the $100,000 allocated to the town of Vaiden during the special legislative session in August.
