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COLUMBUS — Columbus City Council moved forward Aug. 24 with a proposed de minimis property tax rate as city officials grapple with funding needs, employee pay and maintaining city services.
The proposed de minimis rate is $0.379629 per $100 of taxable value, compared with the city’s 2025 rate of $0.284554.
Under this proposed rate, taxes on the median Columbus residence homestead value would increase from $665.20 last year to $893.99 this year, an increase of $228.79, or 34.39%. The median taxable value of a residence homestead increased slightly from $233,768 to $235,490. The city’s total property tax revenue could increase from approximately $1.37 million to about $1.91 million.
The rate can still be subject to an election via petition by the public.
Council members said the higher de minimis rate is being considered as the city faces increasing costs while attempting to maintain services and retain employees.
“ We’re most likely grossly underpaying [employees],” Councilwoman Paige Sciba said. “There’s going to come a moment where we can no longer rely on the good graces of people and the fact that they just love this community and want to be here.”
Officials expressed concern that the city could lose employees to surrounding communities offering higher wages, particularly after Columbus has invested in training and certifications for those workers.
Mayor Lori Gobert said the city has worked to establish a long-term approach to maintaining infrastructure and services without repeatedly seeking additional financing.
“I think we’ve been as diligent as we can in trying to make it work,” Gobert said. “But everything we’ve worked for has been trying to get us on a 10-year cycle, so we can maintain the city without having to go out for bonds.”
Gobert said the city has reached a point where officials must weigh employee compensation against maintaining services.
“Now we’re at the point where we’re forced to either cut services out in the field to get employees money, or we’re going to lose employees in order to do services,” she said.
Council members acknowledged the proposed increase could be unpopular, but said maintaining city operations and retaining employees remain concerns.
“Yeah, it’s not going to be fun, but we all have to pay taxes,” Sciba said. “None of us are up here saying we’re not going to pay any. That’s not how this goes.”
Residents will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed tax rate during a public hearing Sept. 24 at 5:30 p.m.
