Fiscal Year 2026 Budget

Thanks so much for reaching out regarding the FY 26 Budget.

The FY 26 Budget has not been finalized yet so information/numbers may still change. The Council will vote on the final document on September 15th.

Currently, revenues from federal sources are approximately $8.5 million while City's overall budget will be around $600 million.

Health and Transit receiving public funding is standard practice throughout the United States.

The federal funding amounts dedicated to Public Safety are minor grants that are not necessary for the everyday operation. Public Safety is financed by the General Fund which is largely local taxes.

Please reach out if you have any other questions.

Thank you for your comment and for bringing this location to the City's attention. Public Works has your request for a crosswalk at Fourth & Ash Streets to their list of locations under review. The Public Works team regularly receives requests for crosswalks throughout the City, and those requests are evaluated using a variety of factors such as traffic speeds, lighting conditions, crossing distance and nearby destinations like schools or public buildings. This helps prioritize projects based on safety needs and available resources. We appreciate you taking the time to share your input.

Thank you for your input!  

To clarify, the proposed Ash Street project does not propose widening the Ash Street road surface itself. The curb and gutter type changes in some locations for consistency and stormwater reasons which changes the back of curb width slightly. The additional encroachment into yards is actually in the addition of a sidewalk or pedway where it either does not currently exist and/or is an existing sidewalk being proposed to be widened to a pedway. That work requires a temporary construction easement which negatively impacts existing trees along the corridor. The proposed project does result in a finished product that includes a continuous sidewalk and bike lane on one side and a continuous pedway on the other side. However, as of today, that project is on hold as we pursue a corridor study. 

The Columbia Area Transportation Study Organization (CATSO) technical committee which is made up of representatives of MoDOT, Boone County, and the City of Columbia is currently working to develop a scope of services for this study. CATSO funding will pay for a portion and the City will have a matching amount that we plan to take from Ash Street project funds. The scope of the study, in general terms, is to examine the east/west movement of traffic essentially from downtown to the west. Roadways that will most likely be included are Broadway, Worley, and Ash. I would also anticipate Stadium Boulevard and Business Loop 70 to be included in some way. Current proposed work along I-70 is also a component to the overall discussion. However, it is important to note that both Stadium and Business Loop 70, along with I-70, are MoDOT managed and maintained roadways.

This project for both Electric and Water is expected to be more than $30 million. Currently funds are not available in both utilities to move forward. Staff is investigating performance contracting to fund the water portion. The contractor, Ameresco, Inc., is presenting information on this process at the Council work session on Monday, July 21, starting at 5 pm at City Hall (Room 1A/1B).  We hope you are able to join us!

Thank you for your feedback.  Staff will be happy to answer any questions you have about the budget process.