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Council adopts tax budget, dozens of ordinances and resolutions in largely consent meeting
Summary
Columbus City Council approved the 2026 tax budget, multiple procurement and contract ordinances, and a series of rezoning and grant measures in a meeting that included several public presentations and routine committee reports.
Columbus City Council met July 1 and approved a broad set of measures covering the 2026 tax budget, vendor contracts, community grants, and zoning items, largely by unanimous voice or roll-call votes.
The meeting opened with approval of the 2026 tax budget (Resolution 0109X-2025), which the auditor said includes a 4% income-tax revenue estimate over 2025 and total estimated revenue of about $1.218 billion. Council authorized submission of the tax budget to the county budget commission; the auditor will later seek passage of amounts and rates after county action.
Council approved a large consent docket that included procurement and contract renewals for information-technology licensing and security monitoring (including contracts with CDW Government LLC and Splunk-related license renewals), workforce and payroll platform renewals (Dayforce), and various capital project contracts. Several emergency and bid‑waiver requests were approved so departments could maintain licensing, secure cybersecurity monitoring, and continue operations without service gaps.
On community investments, council approved a $2,000,000 contribution to Furniture Bank of Central Ohio’s capital campaign to expand a warehouse and client service center, and passed ordinance funding multiple nonprofit shelter repairs using affordable-housing bond funds. The council also approved a $100,000 grant agreement with Huckleberry House to support its teen crisis program and shelter.
Zoning actions and variances moved through committee. Council approved a package of rezonings and companion variances that included parcels along major corridors and several multi-family projects; the zoning initiative (Phase 2 priorities) also received a resolution of support to begin policy work and public engagement later this year. Other code changes approved included updated rules for downtown graphics, new allowances for pollinator gardens in the city code, and a departmental renaming that changes “Division of Sewage and Drainage” references to “Division of Water Reclamation” and updates broader Department of Public Utilities language to improve public clarity.
Council also approved several settlements and related public-safety items. Among them, the city moved to settle a civil-rights lawsuit arising from 2020 protests for $800,000 and directed additional accounting actions related to other litigation; council also authorized an independent outside review tied to a fatal fire engine crash and related administrative processes.
Votes: Most measures were approved on voice votes or unanimous roll calls after committee presentation and brief public comment. When roll calls were recorded the clerk read names; for many consent and committee items the clerk reported the measure as “passed.” The meeting included a mix of first‑readings (set for later committee hearings) and final adoptions. Full ordinance and resolution numbers are listed on the official agenda and were read into the record by the clerk.
Ending: Council recessed to executive session later in the evening for pending‑litigation consultation and then adjourned. The full text of adopted ordinances and resolutions, committee reports and vote records will be available in the city bulletin and official minutes published by the city clerk.
