The City of Vicksburg’s $31.3 million budget for the new fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 was approved by a 2-1 vote Friday, with South Ward Alderman Sid Beauman voting against the spending plan because of a $135,000 allocation to the NRoute public transit system.

“We’ve discussed this several times, and I think we stated that we would not fund NRoute until they furnish us with an audit,” Beauman said. “I’ve checked into it, and this does not prohibit me from voting on budgetary items over the next year.”

Fiscal year budgets must be approved by Wednesday, according to state law. Earlier this week, the Warren County Board of Supervisors approved its $14.8 million spending plan, which includes a $30,100 contribution to NRoute.

City Accountant Doug Whittington said the NRoute allocation is in the budget pending an independent audit is presented to the mayor and aldermen. Mayor Paul Winfield said he’s not wavering on the city’s audit request, and added NRotue operations need to be streamlined.

“I’m serious about that. What we’ve asked for, we haven’t gotten,” he said of the audit request. “We just can’t — and we will not continue to operate the way that we’ve been operating over there.”