Columbus City Council members have 2.2 million additional dollars to allocate in the 2019 municipal budget.
Jim Letizia reports.
The City Auditor's office says 2018 ended with more income tax revenue than initially projected. Income tax revenue rose by 1.8 percent. Total revenue for 2018 grew by 3.1 percent from the previous year to 907 million dollars. The city started 2018 with 3.4 million dollars in carryover money. Council members traditionally use the money to fund their priorities or other efforts such as hiring additional police officers and improving neighborhood safety. Council members have been holding hearings on Mayor Andy Ginther's 912 million dollar budget proposal, and expect to vote on it in early February. Possible uses for the carryover money include combating illegal dumping, job training and reducing the region's infant mortality rate. The auditor's office projects 2019 municipal revenues will rise by 2.25 percent, continuing a pattern of slowing growth since 2009.
