The 2026 budget has been approved in Town of Kingsville.
Council held deliberations last week and formally adopted the budget on Dec. 10 which includes a municipal 5.9 per cent tax increase.
However, once the County and Education rates are factored in, residents will see an overall increase of 4 per cent - or $157.57 annually for the average homeowner.
Majority of the budget includes funding for roads and infrastructure, with $2.6-million for road reconstruction and resurfacing, $1.4-million for bridge replacements and rehabilitations, and $270,000 for sidewalk replacements.
2.1 per cent of the budget is due to a $535,000 increase to the town's Ontario Provincial Police contract.
Other items in the budget include $1.2-million to replace Fire Engine 122, and $625,000 to replace the street sweeper.
Mayor Dennis Rogers says it's a very infrastructure-focused budget.
"$2.6-million for road reconstruction, $1.4-million for bridge replacements, $270,000 for sidewalk replacements, $619,000 in contributions to our roads, bridges, facilities, parks and fleet lifecycle."
He says they're seeing major increases in the cost of infrastructure replacements.
"Everybody always talks about inflation and what inflation has been, but what we don't talk a lot about is we have to factor in the construction index. The increase of construction materials and you look at the average over the last five years was between six and eight per cent. The majority of the things that we purchase are construction materials."
Rogers says policing costs is something that is non-negotiable.
"The 2.1 per cent increase alone was just on the OPP increase. And that's one thing that comes from the province, and we have no say over it... it's about a 70 per cent increase."
The draft budget proposed a 6.7 per cent increase.
Kingsville council approved a tax increase of 3.61 per cent in 2025.