WASHINGTON: As the Columbus Consolidated Government enters another budgeting season, the numbers are looking pretty dismal. City officials project a $4.3 million decrease in revenue from fiscal year 2017 to fiscal year 2018, according to Finance Director Angelical Alexander. Alexander notified Columbus Council of the shortfall during a March 28 meeting, listing anticipated general fund revenue adjustments from FY17 to FY18. Revenue from property taxes is expected to increase by $1 million and business taxes by $300,000, Alexander said. However, the city expects revenue from several other funding sources to decrease based on current trends. The biggest reduction in revenue will come from Title Ad Valorem taxes and sales taxes, which are expected to decline by $1.7 million and $1.3 million respectively, she said. The budget process has been a divisive issue among elected officials in recent years, prompting some department heads to file lawsuits against the city. That legal battle is practically over due to a recent ruling by Superior Court Judge Philip T. Raymond III.
On Monday, the judge granted the city’s motion for summary judgment in all aspects of Marshal Greg Countryman’s and Municipal Court Clerk Vivian Creighton Bishop’s co-filed lawsuit against the city and its top elected and executive leaders. Still in court is a counter-lawsuit filed the city to determine who should pay for the attorney fees. Former Sheriff John Darr and former Superior Court Clerk Linda Pierce also filed lawsuits against the city. But both were defeated in the 2016 elections and their successors – Sheriff Donna Tompkins and Superior Court Clerk Ann Hardman – have since dismissed the cases. At the March 28 meeting, Tomlinson warned that 2018 will be a tight budget season for departments looking to increase their budgets. “This means that as we’re starting to go through the budget process, we’re doing so and receiving requests from departments and offices for now over $4 million less revenue than we provided them last year,” she said. “So we don’t have enough revenue to cover the expenditures that we budgeted last year and each and every office and department is asking us for additions. “