Lakeshore has proposed a 7.66 per cent tax increase for 2025.
The municipality released their draft budget where residents could pay approximately $20.42 more monthly, if approved.
The draft budget shows total expenditures for 2025 at $66.1-million - up from $60.7-million in 2024, with $36.3-million in capital projects.
Major capital projects the municipality is facing in 2025 is $8-million for Phase 1 of the Comber Watermain Replacement, $3.5-million for Stoney Point Community Park construction, just over $3-million for the County Road 22 Sanitary Trunk upgrades, over $2-million for fire truck replacements, among others.
The municipality is looking for feedback on the budget online using Lakeshore's digital Budget App, which features interactive tables and charts and lets users explore the budget.
Lakeshore mayor Tracey Bailey says this would result in approximately $20 more monthly for residents.
"Well fortunately the province has certainly been listening as it relates to the OPP costs, and that certainly was a significant burden to our tax payers, but lucky for us we've seen that number come down. So, if we take advantage of of those savings I think we'll be at about 6.29 per cent."
She says council will have to make some tough choices.
"On the agenda for 2025 we've got some major capital projects pending, Comber Watermain Replacement and Rochester Watermain Replacement, Stoney Point has a Community Park construction that comes in around $3.5-million, County Road 22 on our Sanitary Trunk upgrades has to happen, our fire truck replacement - we've got a Tanker 2 and an Engine."
Bailey says she understands residents are struggling.
"Those are challenges that are real, we're seeing it in our community, we're seeing food pantry use, and social service use that is tripling before our eyes. So, we know that residents need us to ensure that every dollar that we take is a dollar that is going to go straight towards work and front line service that has to happen in our community."
The draft budget will be presented to council during Tuesday's meeting.
Budget deliberations are set for January 23 and January 24.
Council approved a 2.97 per cent tax increase in 2024.