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    Coronavirus Update: City Estimates $41M Decrease in Revenue & More

    Keep up with regular news updates regarding Columbus and Ohio’s response to COVID-19 here.

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    Editor’s Note: As of 6/9/2020 at 5 p.m., the only available data countywide is from the Ohio Department of Health. ODH typically lags behind Columbus Public Health and Franklin County Public Health data, the former of which was not available at the time of publishing.

    The Numbers

    COVID-19 cases — As of Tuesday, June 9, 5,227 cases of COVID-19 have been reported or are probable in Columbus and Worthington.

    You can also now find a list of testing sites in Columbus at www.columbus.gov/coronavirus, many of which do not require a physician referral but do require an appointment.

    Columbus Public Health also has released the actual and projected number of COVID-19 specimens collected from March through November for Franklin County residents.

    Image via Columbus Public Health.

    Countywide, 6,667 cases and 303 deaths from COVID-19 have been reported to the Ohio Department of Health. Statewide, 39,162 cases and 2,421 deaths have been confirmed or are probable.

    COVID-19 Response Leads to $41M in Revised Revenue

    The office of Columbus City Auditor Megan Kilgore announced on Tuesday, June 9 that she has revised the city’s 2020 fiscal year revenue estimate in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

    This year’s revenue estimate is being revised downward by $41.5 million, representing a 4.49% decrease from the city’s original estimate and a 4.72% reduction from 2019’s reported revenues. The move is said to be primarily attributed to income tax revenues.

    City income tax revenues were projected to make up 78% of total General Fund revenues for 2020.

    However, Mayor Andrew Ginther noted that due to “sound financial management and prudent savings,” the city will be able to offset losses without tapping into its Rainy Day Fund.

    “The City of Columbus entered the COVID-19 pandemic on strong financial footing,” added Kilgore. “In mid-March, income tax was performing very well at a 6.83% year-to-date increase over 2019 revenues. This initial performance will help us weather revenue loss throughout 2020.”

    “Projections for the next quarter show continued reductions,” Ginther said. City departments and divisions have been advised to provide information on “potential cost saving measures, including opportunities to curtail non-essential spending” and services.

    The city also implemented a hiring freeze in late March for non-essential positions unless related to COVID-19 needs.

    More Updates

    PPE — On Tuesday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that as of last week, the state has distributed over 30 million pieces of personal protective equipment or PPE, the majority of which has been shipped to county emergency management agencies for local distribution.

    The governor also said the state is looking at long-term contracts for ventilators and N95 masks. The state is also evaluating the results of a recently issued invitation to bid for gloves, gowns and masks.

    For more information on COVID-19 in Ohio, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.

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    Taijuan Moorman
    Taijuan Moormanhttps://columbusunderground.com
    Taijuan Moorman is a former reporter and social media specialist for Columbus Underground and The Metropreneur who covered civics, arts, entertainment, lifestyle, and business news and features.
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