Windsor City Councillors start budget deliberations Monday morning, and when they do, they'll be starting with a proposed 1.99 per cent increase in the property tax levy.
The budget for 2022 calls for $8.5-million more in operational spending.
The operations budget calls for no increase in funding for city departments. Departments were challenged to find 10 per cent in savings for 2022, and they did.
However, the Windsor Police Service is in line to receive a 1.58 per cent funding boost, about $1.4-million. Essex Windsor Emergency Medical Services is looking at a 4.89 per cent increase, or another $600,000 a year, and the Essex Region Conservation Authority could get another $26,694, or an increase of 1.55 per cent.
City council has made increasing access to affordable housing a priority so, the Windsor-Essex Housing Corporation will see another 9.65 per cent or $1.2-million.
Historically one of the lowest funded public health units in the province, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit could get another $217,557 from the city, an increase of 5.98 per cent.
Spending on agencies, boards and committees account for 0.83 per cent of the proposed increase in property taxes, while asset management makes up the remaining 1.16 per cent.
If councillors approve the budget, the total municipal property tax levy in Windsor will be over $436-million, up from $428-million last year.
Windsor is also calling on senior governments to provide financial aid to cover $24.9-million in COVID-19 spending in 2022. If senior governments do not agree, a seven per cent increase will be needed to cover spending.
Council will also be asked to approve the ten-year capital budget worth over $1.6-billion in spending on projects, including $182-million earmarked for next year.
