Vicksburg’s 2026 Budget: A Comedy of Errors and Economic Efforts

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — In a moment of unbridled fiscal enthusiasm, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen has unanimously decided that the 2026 city budget will be a whopping $33,184,792. Sounds like a typo, doesn’t it? But no, this is the real deal, folks.

Mayor Willis Thompson confidently proclaimed, “We do have a balanced budget,” as if it were a miracle rather than the legally obligatory outcome of the recent number crunching. Apparently, compliance with state law is the new “it” factor in Vicksburg’s political scene, as adopting this budget was “what we’re doing,” which is just about as thrilling as watching paint dry.

The budget anticipates an increase in revenue of about $1.17 million—because who doesn’t need a little extra cash when planning for interesting fiscal adventures? The largest chunk of this newfound treasure will come from real and business property taxes, proving yet again that taxes are just the universe’s way of saying “Surprise!”

In a shocking twist, most departments, including Administration, Legal, Court, Clerk, Accounting, and a few others that sound like the cast of a forgotten sitcom, will be spending less in 2026. Yes, you read that right—less! They have successfully found a way to spend fewer taxpayer dollars while claiming they’re still at work, likely by substituting coffee breaks for actual productivity.

However, not everyone is on the budget diet train. Both the fire and police departments are ready to splurge. The police department seems to be adopting the philosophy that more personnel costs equal more fun, with capital expenditures skyrocketing by over $280,000. Meanwhile, the fire department’s projected increase is due almost entirely to personnel costs, proving that sometimes, having a lot of people on staff isn’t just for show.

So, what have we learned from this budget drama? That saving money is only fun until someone mentions the fire department’s personnel costs, at which point it becomes a tragicomedy. Perhaps next year, they’ll hold the budget meeting at a comedy club for extra laughs.

You can view the budget below, and don’t forget to grab some popcorn. It’s a real page-turner.