Posted April 30, 200916 yr Coleman says 2.5 percent income tax is needed Monday, April 27, 2009 - 10:43 AM By Robert Vitale, The Columbus Dispatch Columbus residents will be asked to increase the city income-tax rate from 2 percent to 2.5 percent in August. Mayor Michael B. Coleman, with all seven city council members at his side, laid out plans for what would be the city's first income-tax increase in 27 years. He made the announcement from a Clintonville fire house this afternoon. "We've cut, we've cut and we've continued to cut," Coleman said. "I got up this morning and looked in the mirror and said we have done all we can do." The city council will formally vote May 11 to put the measure on the ballot. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/04/27/taxvote.html
April 30, 200916 yr The other shoe drops Tuesday, April 28, 2009 - 2:59 AM By Robert Vitale, The Columbus Dispatch Columbus leaders put a price yesterday on protecting the city from a financial abyss: another $100 million a year. The cost to you? Higher income taxes that would be the first local increase in 27 years. With the current 2 percent tax rate, about 200 police officers and 200 firefighters could be cut from the payroll in 2010. More recreation centers would shut down. Weekly trash pickup might come with a fee. But if taxpayers approve a 2.5 percent rate, the city would be able to avoid deeper cuts and might begin restoring police and fire classes, yard-waste pickup and other services. "This is a small price to pay to protect our neighborhoods, our economy and our way of life," Mayor Michael B. Coleman said in announcing plans for a special election Aug. 4. Read more at http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/04/28/copy/taxvote.ART_ART_04-28-09_A1_E9DMFGB.html?adsec=politics&sid=101
April 30, 200916 yr They would also be able to grab more money from suburban folks who live in lower tax districts (like Westerville, which passed its own increase and eliminated a few million bucks from Cbus' revenue).
May 5, 200916 yr Where do I vote YES. On that piece of paper they give you in one of those "voting places". :wink:
May 5, 200916 yr Columbus tax hike not seen as boon for suburbs Business First of Columbus - by Jeff Bell Friday, May 1, 2009 Higher taxes are not typically seen as conducive to economic development, but Mayor Michael Coleman is pairing the two in his pitch to increase Columbus’ income tax. The mayor and City Council plan to ask voters to boost the tax to 2.5 percent from 2 percent at a special election Aug. 4. Faced with a projected $100 million gap between revenue and spending next year, city officials want to increase the income tax rate for the first time since 1982 to avoid what they claim would be drastic cuts to balance the 2010 budget. http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/05/04/story4.html
May 12, 200916 yr Columbus City Council clears income-tax request for August ballot Monday, May 11, 2009 - 6:19 PM By Robert Vitale, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Columbus City Council members voted unanimously tonight to send the proposed tax increase to voters on Aug. 4. If approved, the increase would raise Columbus' income tax to 2.5 percent from the current 2 percent and would affect everyone who works within city limits. It would be the first time in 27 years that Columbus has raised the income tax, which would take effect Oct. 1. Without a tax increase, city officials say they'll have to make further cuts to close a $105 million budget shortfall for 2010. One resident, Barry Edney of the Near East Side, spoke against the tax increase. Three Republicans challenging incumbent council members in November also have lined up against the increase. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/05/11/council12.html?sid=101
May 19, 200916 yr INCOME-TAX INCREASE City has its reasons for special vote Monday, May 18, 2009 - 3:11 AM By Robert Vitale, The Columbus Dispatch Backers of a proposal to raise Columbus' income tax have three months to make their case before an Aug. 4 special election. But as they begin the campaign to convince voters of the need for more revenue, they also find themselves forced to make a case for the election itself. http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/05/18/copy/whyaugust.ART_ART_05-18-09_A1_NJDT30R.html?adsec=politics&sid=101
May 27, 200916 yr Without tax increase, 300 police officers to be laid off Updated: Tuesday, May 26, 2009 - 01:17 PM By Robert Vitale, The Columbus Dispatch Nearly 300 Columbus police officers - 17 percent of the force - will be laid off next year if voters don't approve an income-tax increase on Aug. 4, Columbus Police Chief Walter Distelzweig said this morning. "If we receive additional revenue, these cuts would not be made," Distelzweig said. http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/05/26/police_budget.html?sid=101
May 29, 200916 yr 200 discuss police cuts Forum crowd wants guarantee tax hike would stop layoffs Thursday, May 28, 2009 - 3:22 AM By Bill Bush, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Sending out detectives to quickly investigate murders or sex crimes in which the suspect is a stranger won't change if Columbus voters turn down a half-percent increase in the city income tax in August. But "everything else is on the table" regarding investigations, Deputy Police Chief Antone Lanata, who is in charge of detectives, told about 200 people on the East Side last night. In the first of four community meetings, Columbus police took their case to the public to shed light on how they might operate if a proposal to raise the city income tax to 2.5 percent fails. Read more at http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/05/28/copy/police_forum.ART_ART_05-28-09_B1_GNE0FAG.html?adsec=politics&sid=101
June 4, 200916 yr City Fire Division may cut 289 jobs Safety Department shows how deep knife could go if income-tax request fails Thursday, June 4, 2009 - 4:08 AM By Robert Vitale, The Columbus Dispatch Columbus firefighters who deferred pay raises to keep their jobs in 2009 could face layoffs in 2010 under a budget plan submitted yesterday by Chief Ned Pettus Jr. The city would reduce its force of 1,511 firefighters by 19 percent, through 238 layoffs and 51 unfilled vacancies, if voters reject a proposed income-tax increase and Pettus' plan is adopted by Mayor Michael B. Coleman and the City Council. http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/06/04/copy/firebjt.ART_ART_06-04-09_A1_1JE2QSK.html?adsec=politics&sid=101
June 4, 200916 yr (But wait, there's more!) The story until now: Possible cuts In addition to the police and fire divisions, other city departments have been preparing possible 2010 budgets in case voters reject the income-tax increase: Eight more recreation-center closings would leave just 10 of 30 in operation. Subsidies for the Franklin Park Conservatory and the King Arts Complex would end. After-school and summer-jobs programs would lose all city funding. The city's sole dental clinic and one of two women's health clinics would close, and funding would be cut for neighborhood health centers. Bulk-trash pickup would end, and elimination of a city subsidy would likely kill a new fee-based yard-waste service. Mayor Michael B. Coleman and City Council members have promised voters to seek pension-benefit concessions from city labor unions as contracts are renegotiated. More coverage of the city's budget problems and income-tax request at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/extras/taxes/taxes.html.
June 11, 200916 yr Tax-increase campaign begins Business First of Columbus Tuesday, June 9, 2009, 4:50pm EDT Proponents of an increase in Columbus’ income tax on Tuesday began their march to the ballot in August, announcing the formation of a campaign committee. The committee includes all of Columbus’ elected officials, 14 organizations and a group of 65 private citizens, businesses and community leaders. The group, Citizens for Strong Neighborhoods and Good Jobs, plans to post the full list of members soon on its Web site at www.voteforcolumbus.org. Voters will have the chance at a special election on Aug. 4 to vote on raising the city’s 2 percent income tax rate to 2.5 percent. City officials have said the move could bring in roughly $100 million annually. Next year, that would be aimed at covering a budget shortfall expected to top $100 million. Without the additional revenue, the city has said it would be faced with laying off some police officers, firefighters and other workers. More at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/06/08/daily20.html?surround=lfn
June 19, 200915 yr Opponents' plan would boost property tax, auditor says Thursday, June 18, 2009 - 3:17 AM By Robert Vitale, The Columbus Dispatch If opponents of Columbus' proposed income-tax increase have their way, city property taxes could double, Auditor Hugh J. Dorrian said yesterday. During a radio debate with tax opponent Bill Todd, Dorrian said property taxes would rise if the city puts less income-tax money aside for public-works projects. Todd has said that reducing the set-aside would strengthen the city's operating budget. Dorrian and Todd debated for about an hour on Open Line, a WOSU (820 AM) program. They disagreed about the need for more revenue, spending priorities for what Columbus already collects and the impact of higher taxes on efforts to bring new jobs to central Ohio. Voters will decide Aug. 4 whether to increase the city's income tax from 2 percent to 2.5 percent on everyone who works in Columbus. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/06/18/taxdebate.ART_ART_06-18-09_B5_IEE7CJU.html?sid=101
June 19, 200915 yr AT ISSUE: The city of Columbus is seeking an income-tax increase in an Aug. 4 special election. The cost: $50 a year for each $10,000 of income. People who work in Columbus currently pay $200 for each $10,000 of income. Amount: Raising the tax from 2 percent to 2.5 percent Years: permanent To raise: an additional $90 million to $100 million a year Current general-fund budget: $630.5 million Source: City of Columbus Click here for more about the proposed income-tax increase and the city's budget
June 19, 200915 yr Chamber endorses income-tax increase Friday, June 19, 2009 - 3:12 AM By Robert Vitale, The Columbus Dispatch The 2,500-member Columbus Chamber gave its blessing yesterday to the city's proposed income-tax increase. The group's board of directors voted to endorse the Aug. 4 ballot measure, which would raise the city's tax rate from 2 percent to 2.5 percent. Everyone who works in Columbus pays the tax. http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/06/19/chambertax.ART_ART_06-19-09_B1_GIE7OF0.html?sid=101
June 27, 200915 yr <b>Interview with Mayor Coleman on Issue One</b> By Walker | June 26, 2009 7:50am <img src="http://www.columbusunderground.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/2008mayorportraittight.jpg"> Yesterday afternoon, we sat down with Mayor Michael Coleman to learn more about Issue One, the .5% tax increase proposal to help maintain city services and balance the city budget. Below we have posted the entirety of the audio of the discussion for everyone to listen in on. The first half of the podcast is composed of a presentation on the issue which gives some history on income tax in the City of Columbus, as well as information on why the Mayor feels that the increase is important. The second half is a Q&A session between the several local bloggers and the Mayor. Click below to download/listen to the mp3: http://blip.tv/file/get/ColumbusUnderground-InterviewWithMayorColemanOnTheTaxProposal951.mp3
June 27, 200915 yr City workers hit streets for tax campaign Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 1:46 PM By Mark Ferenchik and Robert Vitale THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Columbus voters will see a lot of firefighters and police officers in their neighborhoods the next few weeks, aggressively campaigning for the city's proposed income tax hike on the Aug. 4 ballot. The city's firefighters and police unions, whose members' jobs are on the line, will kick off their effort this afternoon along with other city unions. The workers are not campaigning during their work hours. Meanwhile, about 15 tax-increase opponents rallied outside City Hall this afternoon. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/06/25/tax_campaigns.html?sid=101
July 2, 200915 yr Bipartisan support blossoms for city's tax boost 6 more prominent Republicans back Aug. 4 proposal Thursday, July 2, 2009 - 3:08 AM By Robert Vitale, The Columbus Dispatch After winning the endorsement last week of former Mayor Dana G. "Buck" Rinehart, a proposed Columbus income-tax hike gained support yesterday from six more prominent Republicans. Franklin County Engineer Dean C. Ringle, who backed a county sales-tax increase in 2005, is the only current GOP officeholder on the list released by the pro-tax campaign. "It is much more prudent to pay now in order to maintain our quality of life than to let our city and region decline and then to try to regain our status as a quality place for living, working and raising a family," Ringle said in a statement. Mayor Michael B. Coleman and the seven-member City Council, all of whom are Democrats, have called for raising the city's income tax rate from 2 percent to 2.5 percent. Republicans, including three City Council candidates and 2007 mayoral nominee Bill Todd, have been the most vocal opponents of the proposal. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/07/02/taxbackers.ART_ART_07-02-09_B2_E1EBUU7.html?sid=101
August 4, 200915 yr Voters head to polls in Columbus today Both opponents and proponents of the Columbus income-tax increase and the South-Western school district levy are urging people to vote today. Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman was out early campaigning for the income-tax increase. The mayor led a union-hall rally for more than 400 off-duty police officers, firefighters and volunteers who then headed to neighborhoods to hang "vote yes" fliers on doorknobs. The city is asking for a half-penny increase that would bring the Columbus income-tax rate to 2.5 percent. It would cost $50 for every $10,000 of earned income. People who work in the city already pay $200 for every $10,000 earned.
August 5, 200915 yr Columbus voters approve income-tax increase Tuesday, August 4, 2009 - 9:29 PM By Robert Vitale, The Columbus Dispatch Voters approved a proposal yesterday to raise the city's tax rate and send an extra $90 million to $100 million yearly into its operating budget. The final, unofficial total: 51.7 percent approved, delivering a victory margin of 3,050 votes out of more than 89,000 cast. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/08/04/electionweb2.html?sid=101
