Columbia city manager discusses public safety funding options during annual ‘State of the City’ address
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Columbia City Manager De'Carlon Seewood addressed Columbia residents at the State of the City on Friday.
In the past, the meeting has been a reflection of the past year. In 2025, Seewood spoke about the city's destroyed recycling facility, potential budget cuts and crime. Details for Friday's speech were released right before Seewood addressed the city. Here are a few things the ABC 17 News is keeping track of:
The Columbia City Council voted Monday to put a 1% sales tax for public safety on the August ballot. The revenue would go directly to the Columbia Police and Fire Departments, and it would generate an estimated $38 million in revenue.
Both departments would use the funding to keep up with Columbia's growing population. CPD would hire 50 new officers, and CFD would hire 40 new firefighters.
Seewood mentioned public safety funding, although he didn't directly speak about the sales tax.
"As we continue to evaluate long-term funding options for public safety, we remain focused on making strategic investments that support our police, fire and supporting services," Seewood said. "These investments are critical as we respond to increasing service demands in a growing community and work to ensure we are positioned for the future."
CFD responded to more than 16,800 calls for service in 2025, according to Seewood, a record-breaking number.
During a press conference afterward, Seewood said that if the sales tax isn't passed both departments would struggle.
"The hard part will be trying to figure out how we have to shift some services in order to provide some access," Seewood said. "So, it's really taking a strategic look at what we can and can't do."
If passed, the revenue will start being collected in January.
However, the city's sales tax might have to go up against a 3/8-cent Boone County sales tax that Sheriff Dwayne Carey asked the county commissioners to put on the ballot.
The relationship between Columbia and the University of Missouri leadership became tense after a Stephen's College student was shot and killed downtown in September. MU President Mun Choi and Columbia and Boone County leaders have been meeting monthly to discuss safety -- these meetings typically happen behind closed doors.
When asked about the relationship between the city and the university, Seewood did not give many details, but he did say the city is collaborating with all of its partners.
"It's just a conversation about what we're doing," he said. "It's about making sure all of our partners are working collaboratively to solve issues."
One of the priorities that Choi has been pushing for is increased foot patrol downtown and reviewing crowd control ordinances. The city council passed a median ordinance in February that would limit which roads people can stand on.
CPD has been posting on Facebook about how the median ordinance will work once it goes into law July 1.
Columbia's housing crisis was another topic Seewood addressed, highlighting some of the projects the city has contributed funds to, like the Columbia Housing Authority's Kinney Point and Love Columbia's Gigi's Place.
"These are the projects that move us forward," Seewood said. "They do not solve the challenge overnight."
Seewood also said the city is working to expand housing and focus on long-term needs--a key point from the 2025 city and county homelessness report.
He also said the city is working on a strategic plan to address homelessness that is based on data, community input and how other cities address the challenge. However, details on the plan are limited.
"It reflects a shift from a primarily reactive approach to a more proactive one, focused on connecting individuals to stable housing and reducing repeat interactions with public safety and emergency services," Seewood said.
