Columbia plans to increase its property tax rate by 1 mill, but a proposed 1.05-mill decrease from the Columbia School District means taxpayers’ total bills won’t change much.
The public will have the chance to comment on the city’s 2018-19 budget at a hearing at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at City Hall.
For the next fiscal year, the city plans an increase to 27 mills from 26 mills but the school district’s rate will fall from 68.80 to 67.75. That means the net rate for city residents will fall from 94.80 to 94.75.
That determines the amount paid in property taxes on homes, automobile tags, utilities, business fixtures and equipment and rental real property. Increases could be seen if properties have increased in assessed value.
The school district’s budget will likely yield about the same amount of money due to new properties on the rolls and assessments.
For the fiscal year spanning Oct. 1, 2018, through Sept. 30, 2019, the city’s proposed budget is actually less than the previous year, $12.1 million versus $12.3 million. About $6.3 million of that comes from local property taxes.
City department heads have been conservative in the work this past year, Mayor Justin McKenzie said in a recent meeting.
“Most are well below their current budget projections,” he said. “The department heads have done a good job at monitoring costs.”
One of the city’s concerns has been decreased sales tax revenue, and McKenzie had asked department heads to be wary of spending. The amount received back from the state on sales tax fell by more than $12,000 in the last 12 months ending June 30.
