It's a proposed 4.5% municipal tax increase in Kingsville as council met for its first day of 2015 budget talks on Wednesday.
Mayor Nelson Santos says council committed to a $740,000 project to replace all the town's street lights with LED models.
"You look at the increased cost of electricity that we're paying year in and year out; the efficiency of the new light, the effectiveness of the new light will provide greater safety, but more importantly greater savings on our hydro bills at the end of the year," says Santos.
The cost for the project is expected to be recovered in six years through savings generated by the new LED street lights. Council has already pre-approved road and trail projects prior to Wednesday's meeting as budget talks are set to continue on March 11 and April 29.
"We have lots of time to go, more work to do municipally and I know our council is focused on bringing in a fair budget at the end of the day," says Santos.
The proposed tax increase means about a $54 jump on the bill for home assessed at $200,000.
