City Council approves budget beginning July 1
June 22, 2016
By Temple Ligon
Columbia’s coming fiscal year, from the first of July, 2016, till the end of June, 2017, is fully funded. Columbia City Council has approved a $310.6 million budget.
A last-minute snag was in a proposed 4.2 percent rate increase for water/sewer. A majority of council voted against the increase while Councilmember Devine and Mayor Benjamin voted for it. By delaying the increase another year, council will have to raise the water/sewer rate next year by 5.7 percent and by 13.5 percent the year after that.
Another action delayed is the distribution of the accommodations/hospitality taxes. Maybe another $300,000 could be made available by the end of August under the assumption at least that much more will come in.
Already among the happy citizens are the city’s ballet companies. Columbia City ballet got $150,000 for the coming year; Columbia Classical Ballet, $105,000; and the Carolina Ballet got $38,000. The three ballet companies did far better than the Palmetto Opera, which hires local dancers and musicians for its productions.
The S. C. Philharmonic is getting $100,000 from the city.
Last year the Palmetto Opera was paid $16,500 by the city, and this year, so far, the city is contributing $2,500. Come August, however, the city could easily bring the Palmetto Opera up to speed, at least a match for last year.
(Full disclosure: I am on the board at the Palmetto Opera.)
