From the Columbus City Council

Columbus City Council voted to approve legislation at its last meeting allocating $250,000 to expand Project Taillight.

Project Taillight is sponsored by Councilmember Emmanuel V. Remya. The project is a community-based public safety initiative that provides free vehicle safety repairs to low-income residents.

New funding will allow the City Attorney’s Office to contract with trusted local repair partners, Lindsay Automotive and MDDR Enterprises, to offer critical repairs—such as brakes, lighting, mirrors, and other basic safety components at no cost to eligible residents.

Remy, who chairs the Public Safety & Criminal Justice Committee, has championed Project Taillight as a practical and compassionate way to improve road safety while reducing police involvement on such subjects.

“Project Taillight is a creative solution to a very real problem in our city,” said Remy. “For some, a broken taillight means a quick trip to AutoZone. For others, it’s a tough choice between fixing a car and putting food on the table. This program helps ease that burden and ensures residents can get safely back on the road.”

Since its launch in 2020, Project Taillight has served over 300 Columbus residents, offering repairs through a network of vetted local mechanics.

To be eligible for participation in the Project Taillight program, individuals must be city of Columbus residents, have a valid driver’s license, hold the title to the vehicle, live in households at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, and drive a vehicle that is seven years old or older. Screening is conducted by the City Attorney’s Community Outreach Team, who then refers qualifying participants to one of the approved auto repair shops participating in the program.