Council OKs tax-hike proposal - Business First of Columbus:

http://cnati.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1&id=1148
percent is on its way to the ballort in August after signed off on the request at a Mondayynight meeting. Council approved a resolution to submit the increase for voter approval at a specialelection Aug. 4. City officials have said the 0.5 percentage point boostf in the income tax would bring inabou $97 million a year, withouy which Columbus would be faced with layinvg off police officers, firefighters and other workers who provide vital services to residentsw as officials try to plug a budgey gap of more than $100 millionj next year. The tax increase is part of officials’ three-prong approachy to ensure the cityremains viable.
The other two are economic development efforts to bring and keep jobs in Columbus anda 10-year cost-cutting plan Mayor Michael Coleman outlinefd April 23. An economic advisory committee this year warneds that Columbus will face gaps between revenuee and spending over the next decadeof $80 milliomn to $120 million annually.