The Town of Kingsville is facing several financial pressures as council prepares to debate the 2025 draft budget.
As it stands right now, the proposed draft budget would result in an annual property tax increase of $119.66 on a home assessed at $250,000.
High inflation rates and an increase in Kingsville's contract with Ontario Provincial Police are being listed as some of the budgetary pressures the town is facing.
Mayor Dennis Rogers says the OPP contract is definitely impacting the draft budget.
"It's one thing we don't have control over, so the Town of Kingsville OPP contract is set to increase by $385,000," he says.
Rogers says it's going to be a tough budget.
"We all know where we're at in the inflation world, and if you couple inflation with some of these rising servicing costs and contracts, which we have no control over, and you add that to an infrastructure deficit, it's tough. We have to balance that with residents; it's not easy times right now," he says.
Rogers says in 2023 they completed an asset management plan and it identified a significant infrastructure deficit, so they're committed to closing that gap.
"We're putting around $4.5 million in road reconstruction and resurfacing projects. We have around $1 million for bridges and $300,000 for sidewalks. We're putting around $700,000 for the repair and maintenance of existing facilities," he says.
The town has released its 2025 Draft Budget for community review and feedback ahead of budget deliberations on Dec. 4.