Windsor Passes 0% Tax Increase For 8th Straight Year

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Residents of the city of Windsor won’t be on the hook for a tax increase in 2016 after city council passed their eighth straight year of 0% tax increases.

Holding the line on taxes required approximately 10% in cuts across the Corporation of the City of Windsor, followed by an additional $5,539,149 in savings to avoid a 1.39% tax increase.

Mayor Drew Dilkens noted that the city’s debt was reduced this year to $98 million, from $104 million, and will be down to $78 million by 2018.

Dilkens continued former mayor Eddie Francis’ tradition of introducing an enhanced capital plan at the end of the night.

The plan — which was approved — borrowed $10 million from capital projects in the year 2020 that will be used in 2016.

It includes:

• an arts endowment to fund public art projects
• the reconstruction of Devon Drive from South Service Road to Sydney
• a family change room addition to the Gino A. Marcus community centre
• the reconstruction of North Service Road in front of the Fogolar Furlan club
• road engineering for changes to North Talbot Road and the reconstruction of the entrance to Southwood Lakes
• the acquisition of environmentally significant lands
• a splash pad at Realtor Park
• road paving of Wyandotte Street East between Watson and Riverdale, and,
• $400,000 in funds to be used for specific city wards.

The entire budget meeting, including an in-camera session, took nearly twelve hours of debate before it was passed around 11:30pm.