Citing alarm about the city's finances and spending on police and fire overtime, Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin wants to give the city auditor more power in the budgeting process, according to draft legislation posted online and then removed.
The draft proposal, among other things, would direct the auditor to estimate police and fire overtime expenses for 2027 to inform the mayor's operating budget proposal. Columbus police and fire are on track to overspend on overtime in 2026 by at least $23 million. Mayor Andrew Ginther's 2026 budget proposal called for an aggressive 45% cut in safety overtime but the understaffed police and fire divisions have continued to use overtime at about the same rate as last year.
Hardin told The Dispatch
on the afternoon of Oct. 5 that the legislation he's working on would not be ready to present at that night's meeting. But he said it should come as no surprise that he and council are exploring ways to codify fiscally conservative practices as he said Ginther is committing budgeting malpractice.
"I'm becoming less and less comfortable with the mayor's ability to take seriously our budgetary concerns," Hardin said.
Hardin and his allies on council have clashed with Ginther and his administration in recent months over both of the city's budgets, the operating budget and the capital budget. Hardin, who is challenging Ginther for mayor in 2027, has accused Ginther of robbing the capital budget to cover payroll in the operating budget. Hardin has also suggested shrinking the capital budget. Ginther maintains that the city remains on strong financial footing and that his administration is using fiscally sound tools to rebalance the operating budget.
Meanwhile, Ginther is continuing his campaign to pressure council to pass a historically large $2.8 billion capital budget he proposed for 2026 on Sept. 11. He's held media events in recent weeks at various capital projects, including Barack Recreation Center, which is closed after suffering severe storm damage in August.
Randy Borntrager, deputy chief of staff over communications for Ginther, said council is politicizing the city's budget process instead of working with the mayor. He said the mayor is right to highlight the capital projects he's proud the city is investing in.
"While I appreciate their thoughts on the operating budget the administration is putting together, Council should first get to work, hold their hearings, and pass the capital budget that funds critical investments our residents deserve and demand," Borntrager said.
City Auditor Jacquelin Lewis, who was appointed to fill a vacancy earlier this year, is caught in the middle of council and the mayor. Lewis said she's aware of the draft legislation and has provided feedback to Hardin's office on it.
"Anything that will help the city collectively align its budget, align expenditures with revenue, as we collectively work toward shoring up the deficit I think is a positive thing," Lewis said. "I don't have specific opinions about how best to do that."
Hardin's draft legislation also would have directed the auditor to estimate for 2027 an appropriate deposit for the 27th pay period fund, which is meant to cover when the city has an extra biweekly pay period every 11 years. The city did not make a deposit into the fund in 2025.
The draft legislation says the auditor's office is well-suited to provide estimates on these two budget issues since the office has purview over city payroll.
Delayed bond sale adds to budget dispute
Hardin pointed out that the council hasn't even authorized the bond sale for the 2025 capital budget. The city is about a year behind on bond sales since the COVID-19 pandemic delayed a sale for a year.
"It is disingenuous to push us to pass a capital budget where we have not yet even funded the capital projects from last year and then feign urgency," Hardin said. "It's starting to get kind of silly. The person who keeps on using the word 'political' is the one playing political games."
Earlier in the summer, Council delayed voting to authorize a bond sale for the 2025 capital budget after Lewis said she wasn't comfortable with the size of the bond sale. She is recommending that bond sale be reduced. But even if the council authorized a bond sale, the auditor can reduce the debt issuance.
"There's nothing that precludes council from passing legislation and moving it to the auditor to make a determination on the bond sale," Borntrager said. "The fact council tabled it is playing politics with that situation, much more than has ever been done before. What's the point of them tabling it when the auditor determines that?"
Lewis said she continues to call for more collaboration across City Hall.
"When we're talking about a capital budget, we're talking about thinking what the city can afford," Lewis said. "I would think, maybe naively, there would be conversation on the front end on what makes sense in terms of the size."
Government and politics reporter Jordan Laird can be reached at jlaird@dispatch.com. Follow her on X, Instagram and Bluesky at @LairdWrites.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Shannon Hardin pushes to insert auditor into City Hall budget clash with Mayor Ginther
