Columbus City Council members unanimously passed the budget for calendar year 2025.
The council on Tuesday night passed the second reading of an ordinance establishing the city’s appropriations and tax rates for next year.
Columbus’ proposed budget for 2025 is about $115 million up from $109 million in 2024. The 2025 certified property tax rate is expected to be about $1.0535 for every $100 of assessed value, down 4% from last year.
Regina McIntyre, city controller, said during the first reading on Oct. 1 that she’s projecting that the certified tax rate will come in at the lowest it’s been in at least a decade. The final certified rate and levy will be determined once the budget has been certified by the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) in December or January.
Built into the budget are up to 4% salary increases for city employees, employee health insurance premium increases of 5%, and an expected increase in utility expenses, including a 12% increase in electric costs, a nearly 11% increase in water and sewer costs and a 2% increase in the cost for gas, per McIntyre.
City officials said 41% of the budget comes from property taxes, 30% from local income taxes and 12% from federal and state grants. The remaining 17% come from interest and rental income, other state income and miscellaneous fees and charges, according to a pie-graph put together by City Controller Regina McIntyre.
Employees and salary benefits are the largest chunk of expenses, accounting for 57% of the total. City officials said 16% of expenses are due to “other services and charges” which Executive Director of Administration Eric Frey said “includes some human capital like consultants, engineers, financial consultants, contractors, contract employees.” Another 15% of expenses will go towards capital projects. The other 12% of expenses include 4% for supplies, 3% for debt, 2% each for utilities and repairs and 1% for “other insurance.”
Below is a breakdown of how much is budgeted in city funds reviewed by the DLGF:
- General Fund: $57.4 million
- Debt Service Fund: $660,450
- Fire Pension Fund: $2.8 million
- Police Pension Fund: $1.3 million
- Thoroughfare Fund: $2.4 million
- Local Road & Street Fund: $850,000
- Motor Vehicle Highway Fund: $2.2 million
- Recreation Fund: $7.5 million
- Park Bond Fund: $404,966
- Cumulative Capital IMP (CIG Tax): $139,250
- Cumulative Capital Development Fund: $2.5 million
- Total: $78.3 million
Below is a breakdown of how much is budgeted in city funds not reviewed by the DLGF:
- Aviation Fund: $3.4 million
- Police Continuing Education Fund: $50,000
- Local Income Tax Public Safety Fund: $800,000
- Aviation Non-Reverting Fund: $370,000
- Police Alarm SYS Fund: $25,000
- NexusPark Fund: $1.2 million
- Medical Non-Reverting Fund: $25,000
- Unsafe Building Fund: $40,000
- Economic Dev Income Tax CEDIT Fund: $4.9 million
- Commons Operating/Capital Fund: $1.2 million
- Streetscape Fund: $55,000
- Riverboat Fund: $431,600
- City Hall Non-reverting Fund: $0
- Community Crossing Grant Fund: $1.5 million
- Fire Training Facility Fund: $103,100
- Substance Abuse Non-Reverting Fund: $500,000
- Rental Registration Fund: $1,500
- 46 Overpass Fund: $300,000
- Community Development Block Grant Fund: $822,000
- FAA Grant Fund: $6.5 million
- Insurance Non-reverting Fund: $10.4 million
- Redevelopment Fund: $1.4 million
- American Recovery Act Fund: $1.4 million
- Transit Non-reverting Fund: $2.8 million
- Total: $37.1 million
