Proposed Tax Hike Won’t Keep Columbus Out Of Red
NBC 4
BOTTOMLINE: Columbus’ city auditor says the city’s proposed half-percent tax increase won’t put the city back in the black.
COLUMBUS, Ohio—The city’s budget outlook continued to look bleak.
NBC 4 reported with the BOTTOMLINE.
The city of Columbus is placing an income-tax issue on the special Tuesday, August 4, ballot to make up for budget shortfalls.
If voters were to pass the half-percent tax hike, it should generate $100 million.
It still would not be enough money to put the city in the black, though, city leaders learned Monday night.
City Auditor Hugh Dorrian outlined the latest figures on incoming revenue versus what Columbus is spending, and the outcome didn’t look good.
The latest has the city’s budget deficit at $115 million.
Mayor Michael Coleman and other city leaders have been encouraging voters to approve a half-percent income tax. The consequences if the issue weren’t to pass would be the loss of more police officers and firefighters.
While many voters may think approving Issue 1 in August would put the city back in the black, Dorrian said the hike would ease the burden but would not erase the problem.
“The increase of taxes from 2 percent to 2.5 percent is not going to provide any expansion of government,” Dorrian said.
To help offset the other $15 million, Dorrian said the tax hike would begin Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009.
He said that should generate $15 million by the end of 2009.
With a not-growing income tax and no new jobs coming into Columbus, Dorrian said to expect more cuts in city government.
Go to http://ci.columbus.oh.us/news.aspx?id=19328 for more information on the city’s proposed income-tax increase.
For additional information, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com—Where Accuracy Matters.
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Reader Reactions
the growth in income from annexation explains why tax didn’t need raised for so long
according to this site
http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm
the cost of doing business more than doubled. how many businesses could survive on providing 25% more service without increasing prices for 27 years?
Annexation has for the most part included income producing residential and commercial areas. If they have not produced enough tax revenue, revert them back to the township for fire and police protection. I bet there are more tax dollars accumulated from the annexed areas over the past 20+ years than from the old inner city areas and the work load for public safety is far less on the outskirts of the city. Perhaps the city need to get out of the real estate business and let the chamber of commerce do the development of new business…with the members dues. Just get back to basics. Less is more sometimes.
size is more than population. look at the square miles that the city covers now @ 227 versus then. when new area is added it adds demand for new fire stations, police patrols, snow plowing, trash pickup, rec centers, etc.
evidently citizens wanted this growth because they kept electing people that annexed more. now it is time to pay the piper and best people can come up with is tighten your belt? how about you reap what you sow?
Things cost more, the city is bigger!!! Really, you don’t say! Shouldn’t more citizens=more payroll=more $$$ from 2% of our income. Has the council gone line by line to cut spending? The last thing that should be cut is anything that has to do with the safety of the citizens, however sometimes enough is enough. Call their bluff! Make the city work within its means, just like the rest of us.
yep, fat fingered the name
trim the fat is a bumper sticker, not a solution. This article says even with the tax increase it won’t cover the deficit so likely will have to still have to cut some things
all governments are audited every single year. many of the things that were in sarbanes oxley have been required of governments for a long time. every year the city has to announce its budget and hold public hearings. the only people that speak up are those that say dont cut this or increase spending here
To Gettehfacts…I assume you meant getthefacts? Anyway, what the website says and what the so-called city officials are doing with the money, are 2 different things. Why don’t they trim their department fat and put the remaining workers to work fulltime instead of at their leasure?
Mentel, Dorrian, Coleman & Pfeiffer all need audited, I’ll bet Dorrian has funds no one knows about…..yet they threaten police & fire, which we need.
Too bad no one is willing to investigate them!
Columbus is bigger in size than it was 27 years ago. Things cost more.
Before voting on tax ask yourself this:
Do you want city that prioritizes public safety or not? Do you want to close fire stations, eliminate programs for children, health, and crime prevention?
the mayor proposes the budget and council approves it and the corresponding spending. The auditor does the accounting and finacial reporting. If you want to know more about these things, the city has been putting these out on its website for years.
JPA8
Copy and paste the email message from facebook not the link you have my curiosity peaked now LOL
Check this out…2 PM today
http://www.facebook.com/n/?inbox/readmessage.php&t=1183548346364&mid=acbfc4G3f3cdbe3G92892cG0
The trolley wouldn’t be a bad idea if it was longer than 2 miles for the amount of money. For the projected cost the rail should go from Delaware to Circleville. And maybe even east west from London to way out east, then maybe I would support it. Too much money for that tiny project. Somebody looks to get rich for nothing. Then there is the City Center fiasco. Maybe not a bad idea but not at this time. I may need that park to live in after all the job cuts and foreclosures. The pittence they would pay for the supposed jobs created does not come close to the loss of revenue from layed off workers. I got the wool off my eyes.
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