About Town—November 2, 2025

 This week's photos of Columbia 

Click on photos to see larger, sharper images. 

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY 

The Market House all lit up

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More night lights . . .

The School District Administration Center 

The Watch & Clock Museum 

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Workin' on the railroad 

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Sky lights

A few Halloween leftovers . . .

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Workers painted lines on 462.

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Night light in the daytime 

We got a lot of rain on Thursday, but at least it made the leaves glisten.

It made for some nice abstracts on the windshield, too.

The remediation project was flooded briefly.

The heron liked the rain.

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The leaves are changing. 

The bridge has been weeded, finally.

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Still there at 2nd & Walnut as of Sunday morning 

There's that train again at Rail Mechanical. 

Trick-or-treaters found their way across the perilous intersection at 5th & Chestnut, some just barely.

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Vote on Tuesday.

Vote for change.

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Columbia Borough Council could raise taxes again for 2026

 

STAFF | COLUMBIA SPY 

Columbia Borough residents may face another property tax increase in 2026, following a significant hike approved last year, according to indications from borough officials.

In 2024, borough council raised property taxes by 2 mills for the 2025 budget year, bringing the total millage to 10 mills—the current rate. Now, less than a year later, signs suggest another increase is possible.

Council approved an $8.33 million general fund budget for 2025 by passing a 25% property tax increase, with warnings that further increases would likely be necessary.

"It's going to be 2 mills this year, 2 mills next year," Council Vice President Eric Kauffman said in 2024, according to LNP/LancasterOnline. "I just don't know what else to do."

Particularly alarming were statements by  Mayor Leo Lutz, who suggested the borough may need to implement a multi-year plan for tax increases. "You're almost gonna have to set a plan. It might be 2, 2, 2, 2. I don't know. It might be 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, whatever," Lutz said at a November 20, 2024 budget meeting. Those amounts could add up to 6 more mills over the next three years.

In addition to raising the millage, council could borrow from reserves, but doing so at this point would reduce the amount to a critically low level. Council has traditionally maintained reserves at 15% of the budget (about $1.1-1.2 million) as a financial safety net.

A recent budget draft for 2026 shows a budget amount for 2026 expenditures for the general fund alone at 9,151,171, compared to 8,311,717 for 2025—an increase of $839,454. A 2-mill tax increase ($876,000 in revenue) would more than cover that amount. (Each mill of property tax generates approximately $438,000 in revenue for the borough.)

Currently, not all numbers are available, and council still has to vote on a final budget. 

Restaurant Inspections—Columbia Borough—October 31, 2025

Bully's Restaurant & Pub, 647 Union St., Columbia, Oct. 21. Pass. No violations.

Our Lady of the Angels School/Holy Trinity Church, 404 Cherry St., Columbia, Oct. 21. Pass. Observed 25 half-pints of 1% low-fat chocolate milk with a sell-by date of Oct. 15 being offered for sale.

Agenda (2nd Revision)—Columbia Borough Council Meeting—October 28, 2025

The 204-page meeting packet is HERE.

Agenda—Columbia Borough Shade Tree Commission Meeting—October 27, 2025

Deeds Recorded—Columbia Borough—October 27, 2025

Lu Yue Qin conveyed 842 Houston St. to Newcomer Neishia Rae for $150,000.

Scott D. Stoltzfus conveyed 209 Walnut St. to Stoltzfus Ventures LLC for $622,500.

Daniel Gouse conveyed 282 S. Fourth St. to Walker Christiana Nisi for $196,500.