Columbus Council approves budget of nearly $297 million. Here’s what you need to know
The Columbus Council voted unanimously Tuesday to pass a $296.6 million city budget for the fiscal year 2022.
The city’s FY2022 revenues include $164,490,530 in General Fund revenue, which includes $41,980,603 in Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) funds.
The approved budget comes in at about $350,000 more than Mayor Skip Henderson’s initially proposed spending plan of roughly $296.2 million. The 2022 budget represents an increase of 5.7% over last year’s nearly $280.5 million.
Some of the budget’s big-ticket items include $1 million for blight reduction, raises for the city’s director-level positions and 2% cost of living increases for all of the city’s employees. Sworn Columbus police personnel will also receive their $2,000 annual supplement.
Blight has been a key part of Henderson’s agenda since taking office in 2019. In the 2020 fiscal year budget, city leaders earmarked $1 million for the demolition of blighted properties — well above the $56,000 from 2019. The 2021 fiscal year included a $250,000 allocation.
Nearly all of the city’s 25 executive management positions will see their pay increase by three steps in an effort to bring those salaries closer to the pay rates offered by similar sized or nearby governments, Henderson and other city leaders said.
A study conducted by The Butler Center for Business & Economic Development at Columbus State University and presented to the council on May 4 found that salaries for 17 of the Columbus Consolidated Government’s director-level positions were below 80% of the average of sampled cities. Positions below 80% of the average salary include city attorney, internal auditor and city manager. Mayor and councilors aren’t included.
The goal is to reach 80% of average peer pay, and the raises will cost the city an estimated $273,000. These positions will also receive the 2% cost of living raise.
The budget does not address the future of waste pickup in Columbus. However, city leaders have discussed using a portion of the city’s $78.4 million pool of federal coronavirus relief aid under the American Rescue Act to purchase the trucks and containers necessary to fully automate pickup. The plan would cost an estimated $20 million.
A copy of the new fiscal year budget will not be published until September, city officials told the Ledger-Enquirer. The 2022 fiscal year begins July 1.