Millage rates for Columbus residents will not be increased in the next fiscal year.
During a public hearing Thursday night at the Municipal Complex, the Columbus City Council unanimously passed the millage rate for FY 2013. The city’s portion of the millage rate will be 40.13. The total rate for Columbus, including the Columbus Municipal School District, will be 106 mills, the same as it was in 2012.
Chief Financial Officer Mike Bernsen also discussed the city’s proposed FY 2013 budget with the council and members of the community. Bernsen said he expected the city to come out ahead on sales tax collections for the current year.
“Sales tax collections are an extremely large portion of our budget,” Bernsen said. “We are well on track for this year.”
According to Bernsen, the city has seen a 32 percent increase in sales tax collections since 1997.
“To hit our projected $8.6 million, we will only need $428,000 in September,” said Bernsen. “I feel like we will exceed our $8.6 million in budgeted sales tax.”
Of the proposed $23 million operating budget, Bernsen said the largest portion of the expenditures were for the police department, fire and rescue and public works department. The budget, he said, is heavy on services but light on projects.
The budget, as of Tuesday night, had an increase in its deficit from $232,000 to $326,115. The board voted Tuesday night to dip into its $2.2 million reserves to balance the budget. The move was questioned by Leon Speck during the hearing.
“You keep dipping into the cash reserves and you are going to get in bad shape,” Speck said. “I don’t like raising taxes, but if you were to raise them about two mills it could help. Sooner or later, you are going to have to raise the mills. I understand it’s an election year, but everyone could bite the bullet.”
The council will approve its 2013 budget Thursday, Sept. 13 at 5 p.m. at the Municipal Complex. The budget must be approved by Sept. 15. It will be implemented Oct. 15.
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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