Biloxi vote on possible tax hike couldn’t have been closer. Here are the details
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Biloxi Council rejected mayor's proposed 3 mill tax hike in a 3-3 deadlock vote.
- Mayor cited 30% expense growth and $2.6M in wage hikes over two years as drivers.
- Biloxi maintains 30.1 mill rate, lowest among South Mississippi’s major cities.
Biloxi City Council had to decide at the end of a special meeting Wednesday whether to hold taxes at the same level for another year or advertise a possible tax increase to balance the budget.
In a tight vote, the council shot down the idea of an increase.
It’s been years since Biloxi raised ad valorem taxes, which at 30.1 mills are the lowest of any city in South Mississippi. The city reduced taxes several times in the 1990s after casinos began opening and adding tax revenue.
Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich proposed a 3-mill tax increase for the next budget year, which he said would yield about $2 million in additional revenue.
“That would provide the revenue to meet the expenses,” he said, which have increased 30% over the last three years. He said 70% of the expenses are for personnel, and $2.6 million more for wages and salaries were approved over the last two years.
Councilman Anthony Marshall proposed the city consider a 4 mill tax increase, with the extra 1 mill used to create an economic district foundation. His proposal failed when no other councilman seconded the amendment.
A tax increase has been discussed and rejected at budget time for several years. This year, four new members were elected to the council and the increase came to a vote.
After tossing around numbers and looking for ways to cut expenses, the council members voted, 3-3 with an abstention, against the tax increase.
Paul Tisdale, Wayne Gray and Mike Nail voted to advertise a possible tax increase, while Kenny Glavan, Jamie Creel and David Shoemaker voted against. Anthony Marshall abstained, which meant the 3-3 vote failed and there will be no new taxes, Tisdale said.
“Increasing the revenue is a way to reduce the tax mileage,” Gilich said, particularly with additional development. There are other opportunities to raise revenue, he said, such as a food and beverage option or occupancy tax. For those to happen would require a unanimous vote of the council, approval by the state legislature’s local and private committee and a voter referendum, he said.
This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 2:47 PM.
