Columbus is so far behind in its upkeep on facilities and city roads that even a $350,000 proposed tax increase would be a drop in the bucket, according to city officials.
Instead the city will likely have to look at other measures, such as instituting user fees for some facilities, or privatization of some city services, said Mayor Kristen Brown. Columbus City Council is scheduled to consider the tax hike at its meeting Tuesday, but it is unlikely to be approved, the mayor and council members said.
City Attorney Jeff Logston said the city is allowed under state law to have a cumulative capital development tax rate of up to 5 cents per $100 of assessed value. The full 5 cents would raise $1.1 million for capital expenditures, but this year's rate was 3.5 cents, which raised $785,611.
