Some good, some bad in Kitchener’s 2018 proposed budget

A mixed bag this year in the City of Kitchener’s proposed budget for 2018.

City staff presented a proposed budget that would see operating costs remain below the rate of inflation at 1.6 per cent.

However utilities rates are a different story.

Right now, utility rates are set to increase by 6.5 per cent – costing the average homeowner an additional $73.00.

The City of Kitchener’s budget committee chair Councillor Scott Davey says most of the cost is due to water treatment rates that they have little control over.

“About half of those fees, we pay to the region for cleaning the water, our ability to influence that is minimal given that people want safe and clean drinking water,” said Davey.

However, Davey does say a few years ago, the rate increase was projected to be over 9 per cent.

Davey says in the next two years, they hope to have the rate of increase down to just over 4 per cent.

The budget is not final.

The final budget will not go to council until early January 2018.

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