Mayor Henderson Proposes $402.5M Budget at Tuesday’s City Council Meeting

Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson presented a $402.5 million budget proposal for fiscal year 2027 at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, a plan that offers raises for employees and retirees while holding the property tax millage rate steady.

The proposed budget represents a 2% increase over the current $394 million budget and is driven largely by $7.6 million in additional general fund revenue, fueled by growth in sales taxes, insurance premium taxes, and other fees.

Raises for Workers, Relief for Retirees

Under the proposal, full-time city employees would receive a 2% cost-of-living raise effective July 1, while city retirees would see a 1% increase. The city’s current health care cost-sharing model — with the city covering 75% and employees paying 25% — would remain in place.

Pension System Under Review

Consultants from Aon and NFP are evaluating proposed changes to the city’s pension plan that could benefit long-term employees. Those changes include reducing the vesting period from 10 years to 5 years, lowering the unreduced retirement age to 62 with 30 years of service, and adjusting benefit formulas.

Fee Increases

The budget does include some fee hikes. The monthly integrated waste fee would rise from $24 to $26, with additional $1 increases planned for each of the following two years to address a long-running deficit in the trash fund. At the ice rink, adult admission would climb from $8 to $12 and skate rentals from $5 to $10.

Reserves Remain Above Minimum

Henderson noted that the budget maintains reserves at 74.44 days — above the 60-day minimum recommended by the Government Finance Officers Association, though short of the city’s own 90-day target.

Public Comment

Theresa El-Amin addressed the council via Zoom during public comment, criticizing the timing of the proposal. “This is a bit outrageous,” she said, questioning how employees are being treated under the plan.

What’s Next

The council will hold budget review sessions on May 5, May 12, and May 19. Final action on the millage ordinance is scheduled for June 16.

Photo: Columbus Consolidated Government Center. Credit: Garydunncolumbusgausa / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0