Kingsville's town council has approved its 2024 budget with a residential property tax increase of $158.17 for the average homeowner.
The increase is calculated based on the average home valued at $250,000. Mayor Dennis Rogers said it works out to a $50 increase for every $100,000.
The town no longer uses percentages to calculate property tax increases.
The Municipal Property Assessment differs from market prices and has been frozen since 2016.
Rogers echoed many of his colleagues across the county, saying it was a difficult budget this year, given financial pressures like inflation and higher construction costs.
"Almost everything we do is construction," he said. "Those are some of the highest costs that have gone up."
The budget still includes what the town called "significant investments in infrastructure and facilities, as well as a commitment to maintaining high service standards."
Rogers said the town plans to increase spending by up to $600,000 annually to address its infrastructure deficit. While Kingsville is spending $6-million a year on roads and bridges, he said it should be spending $10-million to address the shortfall. A strategic plan called Kingsville 2040 will go before councillors at the next meeting. It anticipates the town's future asset, capital and infrastructure needs.
It's also putting money away to buy at least one of the three school properties expected to become surplus when the new Kindergarten to Grade 12 school opens. It will replace Kingsville District High School, Jack Miner Public School and Kingsville Public School.
There's also money to build a new building in Cottam that will house a new library and community centre with a pavilion next year.
"There were a lot of projects that didn't make it, but the way I look at it is, we're getting a lot of capital projects done this year."
The spending plan also includes cash to replace the play equipment in Lakeside Park.
The spending plan supports services like police, fire, parks and recreation, and waste management. It also allocates resources towards strategic priorities and capital projects.