This article was updated to clarify that the school district is currently at its operational millage cap.

The Poplarville School District will hold a public hearing June 19 to discuss a potential increase in the ad valorem millage rate.
The District currently operates on a total budget of about $18.77 million, with 25 percent of that revenue, or $4.73 million, raised from ad valorem taxes, according to a legal notice from the district.
The District is proposing to increase that projected revenue for the 2017-2018 fiscal year to about $18.78 million, according to the notice.
That would mean an increase in ad valorem revenue to about $4.78 million.
Chief Financial Officer Samantha Sandifer said during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon that those numbers are not final.
Because the District has not received final totals for assessment values, Sandifer said she can’t be certain how much revenue will be generated from ad valorem taxes under the current millage rate.
But, with the potential for increased assessment values and therefore increased revenue, Sandifer said the district can’t keep that additional revenue unless the District runs a legal announcement in the paper and holds a public hearing.
Sandifer said the District is going to see a decrease in state funding for the next fiscal year, but excess federal funding can be rolled over from year to year without being spent.
The public hearing will begin at 5 p.m. June 19 at the superintendent’s office located at 302 South Julia Street.
The regular Poplarville School Board meeting will be held the week before, on June 12 at 6 p.m.
Sandifer said after press time Wednesday that the district is currently at its operational millage cap of 55 mills and debt service of 3 mills.

“The district does not intend to increase the request for ad valorem taxes to exceed the current millage rates; however, it is not possible to make that determination without assessed valuations for 2017-2018,” she said in an email Thursday afternoon.