Explanation
The purpose of this ordinance is to amend budgetary appropriations, and to establish appropriations where necessary, to fully align with the Council-approved 2026 operating budget.
This ordinance authorizes the following budgetary appropriations and amendments for the following purposes:
• Amends 2938-2025 to align with the Auditor’s full-year general fund revenue estimate;
• Transfers $850k in appropriations within Recreation and Parks from other (05) to personnel (01) in order to insource a portion of summer youth programming;
• Establishes $6.3M in appropriations within the adult use cannabis excise tax fund to support the 2026 Elevate! grants;
• Transfers appropriations from Neighborhoods, the Office of Violence Prevention, and Education to Recreation and Parks to administer summer youth programming;
• Consolidates cash within subfunds of the general fund.
Emergency action is requested in order to align appropriations with Council and administration priorities and so that programming, procurement, and other related activities can begin without delay.
Title
To amend ordinance 2938-2025; to establish appropriations within the Cannabis Host Community Special Revenue Fund; to transfer appropriations between the Departments of Neighborhoods, Recreation and Parks, and the Offices of Education and Violence Prevention; to transfer cash within subfunds of the general fund; and to declare an emergency. ($14,302,819.00)
Body
WHEREAS, this ordinance amends budgetary appropriations and establishes appropriations where necessary to fully align with the Council-approved 2026 operating budget; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily business of City Council in that it is immediately necessary to authorize these amendments in order to align appropriations with Council and administration priorities and so that programming, procurement, and other related activities that are dependent upon budget passage can begin without delay; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Title to ordinance 2938-2025 is hereby amended as follows:
Title
To make appropriations for the 12 months ending December 31, 2026, for each of the several Object Classes for which the City of Columbus has to provide from the monies known to be in the treasury of said City of Columbus, in the fund known as the General Fund, during the said 12 months from the collection of all taxes and from other sources of revenue, the amount of $1,256,877,066.00 $1,258,877,066.00 $1,263,910,366.00 $1,261,910,366.00; and to declare an emergency ($1,256,877,066.00 $1,258,877,066.00 $1,263,910,366.00 $1,261,910,366.00)
SECTION 2. That Section 1 of ordinance 2938-2025 is hereby amended as follows:
SECTION 1. That from the monies in the fund known as the "Fund for General Purposes", otherwise known as the General Fund (fund 1000), and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources during the 12 months ending December 31, 2026, there be and hereby are appropriated to the use of the several departments, commissions and offices and Object Classes for which the corporation has to provide the following sums for use during the 12 months ending December 31, 2026:
See Attachment: AMENDED ORD 2938-2025 GF Appropriation 2026 by Div
See Attachment: AMENDED ORD 2938-2025 GF Appropriation 2026 by Div. FINAL
See Attachment: AMENDED ORD 2938-2025 GF Appropriations
SECTION 3. That the Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $6,300,000.00 within the Cannabis Host Community Special Revenue Fund, fund 2215, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $5,100,00.00, and to transfer appropriations of $850,000.00, within the Recreation and Parks operating fund, fund 2285, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That the Auditor is hereby authorized to appropriate $352,226.84 within the Job Growth subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100015, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the Auditor is hereby authorized to appropriate $25,627.59 within the Public Safety Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100016, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 7. That the Auditor is hereby authorized to appropriate $1,141,664.57 within the Reimagine Safety subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100019, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 8. That the Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to transfer $1,519,509.00 to the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100018, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 9. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.