City leaders approve of 2026 budget in Columbus
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- The city of Columbus approved its budget for Fiscal Year 2026, and they were able to do so without raising taxes.
At the September 10 meeting, after discussion, the council decided to amend the money allocated to the youth program from $50,000 to $30,000 and use the extra $20,000 in other areas.
Chief Operations Officer Jammie Garrett said all city employees will be getting a 3% increase in their salaries, including some of the positions at the Columbus Police Department, Columbus Fire and Rescue, public works, and others, unless they were slated for an additional increase.
“It’s very important to be able to not increase taxes, but also make sure that the city runs, and that includes making sure that the employees have a livable wage. So we were able to do that. And so I’m very proud of the mayor and the city council for their work on this,” said Garrett.
The new budget goes into effect on October 1.
