CAMBRIDGE – Cambridge passed its 2024 budget with a 7.17 per cent tax hike today.
The number represents 36 per cent of the overall tax bill with the remainder collected by the Region of Waterloo and the school boards.
The revised budget, a jump from the 5.76 per cent increase in the draft version, includes the introduction of a 1.25 per cent infrastructure levy.
It will add over $1.3 million to the city's coffers to help reduce the funding gap between savings and the cost of replacing things like roads, sewers and other city assets, which Coun. Ross Earnshaw said he was shocked to learn grew from $93 million in 2022 to $170 million last year.
Mayor Jan Liggett said this council is also being "reactive" due to previous councils not being "proactive."
Ligget noted it was the first year of strong mayor powers and there was an expectation she would take those powers and work through them. She went through the process as if she was going to use those powers but felt council needed more of a say.
