Columbus plans to take a closer look at the incentives that it offers developers.
The City Council approved spending $150,000 on a contract with firm HR&A Advisors of New York on Monday night to analyze its tax-incentive offerings and to potentially offer suggestions for changes.
“It’s a prioirty to invest tax dollars in a way that leverages smart and sustainable growth as we see that kind of population growth in our city while also protecting public funds,” Councilwoman Elizabeth Brown said.
The analysis will look at how competitive Columbus is with other cities; how incentives affect development patterns; and whether the city should be offering different types of incentives. It will take up to six months to complete, said Steve Schoeny, the city’s economic-development director.
