JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY
Despite a 2024 tax hike that took the tax rate to 10 mills, Columbia Borough finds itself in a growing fiscal crisis as officials are seeking a $2 million bridge loan to cover expenses during early 2026. At Tuesday night’s meeting, council voted unanimously to begin the process of applying for the loan.
The borough’s financial troubles became apparent last year when it fell short of meeting its expenses by more than $1 million at year’s end. In spite of the shortfall, borough council decided not to raise taxes, instead balancing the budget by drawing from reserves. That decision left the reserve fund at about $300,000, a level officials acknowledged is “uncomfortably low.”…