Columbia’s property tax collections for the current fiscal year stood at 84.87% of budgeted charges, town manager Rhett White reported to the board of aldermen May 6.

Last year at the same time the rate was 91.73%, and in 2017 it was 92.4%.

The board anticipated a 94% collection rate by June 30 when they adopted the budget a year ago.

Charges for the year amount to $307,008, and the payments received through May 6 were $260,573.

“Several big property owners have not paid yet,” White said, with two months remaining in the fiscal year.

Turning to the budget, White reported that General Fund revenues, coming from 48 sources, amounted to $591,101, which is 84% of the $695,492 budgeted last spring.

Meanwhile, expenditures for 75 General Fund purposes totaled $548,990, or 78% of the year’s anticipated $695,492 spending.

On the other hand, Water & Sewer Fund revenues were $556,681, or 74% of the $745,243 budgeted, while expenditures amounted to $623,477, a revenue shortfall of $66,795.

White pointed out that Whitecap Linen Service closed last December, and it was by far the town’s largest water and sewer user.