Shaw residents could soon see an increase in their taxes.

The Shaw School District Board of Trustees will host a public hearing about increasing the millage at 6 p.m. tonight at the Shaw High School cafeteria.

“Tomorrow (Thursday) evening at the Shaw High cafeteria, the board will meet to present reasons to taxpayers of this district why they are going to increase your taxes again,” said Gregory Flippins during the Wednesday night community meeting. “That’s not just property owners.

“That’s car tags and everything else that is assessed locally,” continued Flippins.

According to a public announcement issued by the Shaw School District Superintendent Dr. Cederick Ellis, the district plans to increase the ad valorem tax millage rate by .66 mills.

“This increase in ad valorem tax revenue means that you will pay more in ad valorem taxes on your home, automobile tag, utilities, business fixtures and equipment and rental real property,” read the announcement, run in the July 13 issue of The Bolivar Commercial.

“They increased them (taxes) last year,” Flippins said Wednesday night. “When they increased them last year, they said the money was needed.

“They budget the money,” he continued. “Some of it for textbooks, some of it for repairs.”

According to the public notice, the district needs the increased ad valorem tax millage rate to meet budget.

“The Shaw School District is now operating with projected total budget revenue of $6,704,835; $1,044,204 of such revenue is obtained through ad valorem taxes,” read the notice. “For the next fiscal year, the proposed budget has projected revenue of $7,222,966. Of the amount, $1,022,434 is proposed to be financed through a total ad valorem tax levy.”

Citizens are being encouraged to come out to the meeting and voice their opinions on the tax increase.

“Tomorrow night is a good time to show up and to bring as many people as you can to say they don’t want the tax increase,” Flippins urged Wednesday night. “Unfortunately, state law has a level at which you can raise the taxes that it does not allow for the community to vote up or down on the raising of the taxes.

“The board can set a percentage, send that on to the board of supervisors and they approve it,” Flippins continued. “This is one instance that you have an opportunity to voice your opinion. You can talk about how you feel about the tax increase and they should listen.”

“Any citizen of Shaw School District is invited to attend this public hearing on the proposed ad valorem tax increase and will be allowed to speak for a reasonable amount of time and offer tangible evidence before any vote is taken,” read the public notice.

The board will also discuss the 2010-2011 budget during this meeting, though the budget will not be approved until a special call meeting at 6 p.m. on August 5 at the Shaw High School cafeteria.