(Columbia, SC) – The City of Columbia held its fifth City Council Budget Workshop of the year on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, which is essential to the planning, development and finalization of the City of Columbia’s Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget. The City of Columbia’s next fiscal year begins on July 1, 2026, and ends on June 30, 2027.
As part of the budget workshop, Assistant City Manager Missy Caughman presented numerous budget items relating to special revenues in the FY 26/27 budget, including the Hospitality Tax Fund, Accommodations Tax Fund, Tourism Development Fee and Liquor Permit Rebate.
City Council and City leadership also received presentations from the Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports and Tourism (Experience Columbia SC) and Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board about the successes of the past few years with growth in tourism, visitor spending and the number of events held in Columbia. They also discussed ongoing and future strategies to market the region and the City of Columbia.
Later in the afternoon, the City of Columbia held its regular City Council meeting, which began with the Budget Public Hearing and approval of First reading. ACM Caughman gave a brief presentation explaining how the City of Columbia plans and develops its annual budget, how it breaks down the budget’s financial structure, and what influences the budget, including but not limited to strategic focus areas and ongoing and future budget drivers. (Items #2-3)
The proposed budget maintains all current City services with no reductions while keeping the current property tax rate. Revenue growth supporting the budget is driven by new development and expansion of the City’s tax base. The budget also includes a proposed 5% adjustment to water and sewer rates to support critical system maintenance, debt service obligations, and approximately $93 million in water and sewer infrastructure improvements.
In addition, the City continues to invest in Columbia’s future through more than $101.6 million in capital improvements across water, sewer, stormwater, and parking infrastructure. The budget also supports competitive compensation and merit-based programs to help attract and retain the skilled employees who provide essential services to residents every day.
Residents and stakeholders are encouraged to review the proposed Fiscal Year 2026/2027 budget and provide feedback. Written comments may be submitted to the City of Columbia Budget Office at [email protected]. City Council is scheduled to consider the budget on second reading and final adoption on June 16, 2026.
The proposed budget and additional budget documents that were presented at the City Council meeting are available at https://columbiasc.portal.civicclerk.com/.
Following approval of first reading of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget, City Council also approved second reading of Ordinance No. 2026-023, establishing the Vista Business Improvement District. (Item #15)
The Vista Business Improvement District establishes a dedicated framework for property owners and stakeholders to invest in the district’s continued success. Through enhanced services, beautification efforts, and strategic improvements, the district aims to better position itself to support economic growth, strengthen its identity, and enhance the experience for residents, visitors, and businesses. The Vista BID Steering Committee is spearheaded by local property owners and stakeholders working in and around The Vista District.
In the “Resolutions” portion of the agenda, City Council approved a resolution establishing a Vision Zero Policy to work towards zero traffic deaths and severe injuries within the City of Columbia. This resolution was endorsed by the Public Safety Committee on May 12, 2026. (Item #17)
Vision Zero is a transportation safety initiative focused on eliminating traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries while creating safer streets for all users. The initiative recognizes that crashes are inevitable, but death and life-altering injuries are preventable through thoughtful and strategic planning, roadway design, education and collaboration.
The City of Columbia is committed to advancing Vision Zero principles through its adopted plans, including Walk Bike Columbia (2015), the Walkable 29203 Pedestrian Master Plan (2017), and Columbia Compass (2020). City departments continue to work collaboratively with community stakeholders and partner agencies to improve roadway safety, enhance mobility, and reduce crashes for motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users throughout the City of Columbia.
To watch the full City Council meeting, visit: https://youtube.com/live/8mL2A_aZpLc
To view all City Council agendas, visit: https://columbiasc.portal.civicclerk.com/
For more information about upcoming City Council meetings or general information about the City of Columbia, visit: www.ColumbiaSC.gov