Columbia Borough Municipal Election Early Returns

 

VOTE Tuesday, November 4

Mayor
Jasmine Preston

Borough Council
Ethan Byers
Jeanne Cooper

Kyle Ricker

School Board
Sonya Duncan
Lester Putt
Nathan Roach
Elena Young
Thomas G. Ziegler

Vote YES to Retain Judges
Christine Donohue
Kevin Dougherty
David Wecht

Polling Locations 

Columbia Borough 1st Ward

Columbia Borough Municipal Building

308 Locust St, Columbia

Columbia Borough 4th Ward

Columbia School Dist. Admin. Center

200 N. 5th St, Columbia

Columbia Borough 5th Ward

Saint Paul Episcopal Church

340 Locust St, Columbia

Columbia Borough 6th Ward

Victory Church

550 Linden St, Columbia

Columbia Borough 7th Ward

Columbia Animal Shelter

265 South 10th St, Columbia

Columbia Borough 9th Ward

Columbia Borough Fire Department

726 Manor St, Columbia

Mayor Lutz must accept responsibility

 

GUEST COMMENTARY [Name withheld by request out of fear of retaliation]

For two decades, Leo Lutz has occupied the mayor's office in Columbia, and his supporters are quick to credit him with every positive development in our borough, but leadership is a two-way street. If Mayor Lutz is going to accept praise for Columbia's successes, many of which, frankly, he had little direct involvement in, then he must also be held accountable for our failures.

The facts paint a troubling picture. Despite the mayor's repeated assurances that our streets are safe, we've witnessed a disturbing rise in assaults, shootings, and vandalism. His promises have fallen by the wayside: the foot patrol we were promised never materialized, nor did the bike patrol that was supposed to increase our sense of security.

Fiscally, the situation is equally dire. Taxes have increased at least twice during Mayor Lutz's tenure, yet the borough now finds itself millions of dollars in debt. This isn't the record of effective stewardship. It's a pattern of decline masked by rhetoric about prosperity.

There's an inconvenient truth that property owners understand all too well: every time taxes rise, property values fall. That's not prosperity; that's a slow erosion of our community's economic foundation.

Columbia needs vigorous, forward-thinking leadership. Instead, we have a mayor whose age and lengthy tenure raise legitimate questions about his ability to efficiently fulfill the demanding role ahead. 

He's one of the last of the good old boys that unfortunately ran this town. If voters return him to office, we can expect more of the same: continued decline, mounting debt, and broken promises.

The choice before Columbia's voters is clear: we can either maintain the status quo and watch our borough continue to deteriorate, or we can demand accountability and choose a new direction. 

Mayor Lutz has had 20 years to prove himself. The results speak for themselves.

Deeds Recorded—Columbia Borough—November 3, 2025

Edmind A. Steffan Jr. conveyed 116 S. Sixth St. to Iglesia Yasnay Batista for $175,000.

D&R Charles Construction conveyed 1249 Avenue V to Greineder Zachariah D, Greineder Madison A. for $350,000.

The estate of Blumenshine Paul A. Est., Blumenshine Paul Allen conveyed 1338 Manor St. to Heidi J. Nikolaus for $100,000.

The estate of Ella A. Evrard conveyed 553 Walnut St. to Highmount Properties LLC for $126,000.

Eckerd Walter, Eckerd Thelma S, Eckerd Walter F. Jr., Eckerd Tammy L. conveyed 815 Locust St. to Lapps Investments LLC for $360,000.

Funk Timothy B, Funk Kimberly A. conveyed 1220 Stamans Lane to Columbia Borough for $50,000.

Columbia Borough conveyed property on a public road to Columbia Borough for $1.

Columbia Borough conveyed property on Ridge Avenue to Columbia Borough for $1.

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.