Columbia selectmen approve first-installment tax bills at current mill rate

The Columbia Board of Selectmen voted 4–0 on June 11 to send first-installment 2026–27 real estate and personal property tax bills using the 2025–26 mill rate, with bills to be sent as of July 1, 2026. First Selectman Steven M. Everett moved the approval; the motion carried with four members voting in favor.

Beverly Ciurylo, Columbia’s finance director, presented three billing options under CT State Statute Section 12-123 and recommended Option 1: issue first-installment bills at the existing 2025–26 mill rate and have the billing vendor (QDS) create adjusted second-installment bills after the new mill rate is set. Ciurylo told the board that Option 1 is the simplest operational approach but would require producing a second set of bills at an estimated additional printing cost of approximately $3,200.

Ciurylo outlined the alternatives: Option 2 would set a due date of Aug. 1 with a final payment date of Sept. 1 and calculate interest back to Aug. 1; Option 3 would delay billing until after the mill rate is finalized (for example, billing July 7 with 30 days to pay), a choice the finance director did not recommend. She also recommended focusing July’s mailing on real estate and personal property and delaying motor vehicle bills until after the referendum passes to avoid added costs and complexity.

The board’s action means taxpayers will receive a first-half bill based on the current mill rate and, when FIPAC sets the new mill rate later in the year, the town will send adjusted second-installment bills that reflect any shortfall or increase. The meeting opened at 4:00 p.m., and adjourned at 4:12 p.m.