Amherstburg residents are looking at a 2020 budget increase well below the rate of inflation.
Council reduced the increase from about 4.5 percent in the draft budget to the final figure of just over half a per cent. (.56 %)
On the average home assessed at $250,000 the increase comes to $14.
Mayor Aldo diCarlo says the biggest part of the reduction came from not creating a number of new positions at the town.
"It was simply because of a perhaps lack of justification" says diCarlo. "Maybe council was looking for more information. And in some cases we just figured we could do for another year before we have to, have to have that position."
diCarlo says the lower budget increase doesn't mean an austerity situation for the town.
"We still managed to, I think, check the boxes that people like" believes diCarlo "Which was infrastructure and redoing roads and culverts. And still putting some money into our amenities that people come here for and we are still putting some in reserves."
He says the large infrastructure project remains on the books.
"The Great Places, Great Spaces passed" says diCarlo. " And if for no other reason is because of the amount of projects it covers. So even if the grant doesn't come through, it is the beginning of some savings to finish any of those projects."
diCarlo points out residents may see a somewhat higher increase on their tax bill because the county levy and education tax still have to be added.