(Columbus) The overall tax bill went down for property owners in the city of Columbus, but the city tax bill went up slightly. City Administrator Kyle Ellefson explains what the city was focused on this past year.
“What we were focused on this year was a couple priorities,” says Ellefson. “Emergency services was one of our big priorities. Employee compensation, looking at the benefits, which are somewhat out of our control, you know, health insurance costs and items like that. As well as pay to make sure retaining the employees that we have and making sure that when we have to go out for recruitment we can obtain qualified employees. Working on road maintenance, sidewalk maintenance, which is relatively boring.”
Other priorities include tree removal because emerald ash bore has damaged several trees in the city and is a safety hazard. Ellefson says the community is also a priority.
“There’s also a lot of things that we provide that really serve the community in an extra sense,” Ellefson says. “You look at things like the senior center, our recreational programs, the library, the aquatic center. Those are real quality of life amenities that improve the life of all the citizens and visitors to the city.”
The city administrator says money is put toward those amenities because it makes a real difference in people’s lives.
