Every year, the City of Burlington releases a budget. We can expect to see the 2027 budget after the October 26, 2026, municipal elections. There is always a lot of debate about the percentage of the tax increase, but what does the increase mean in terms of total tax dollars?
One of the more interesting lines in the budget is labelled the “Net City Tax Levy.” This line represents the total amount of property tax revenue that Burlington collects for itself. We get one tax bill with three items: Halton taxes, Education Taxes, and Burlington taxes. The Net City Tax Levy number is the total of the Burlington Taxes collected by the tax bill and doesn’t include Halton or Education taxes.
What makes the Net City Tax Levy interesting is that it includes property taxes from new condos, houses, and businesses. The property tax percentage increase we debate every year increases the levy, but when a block of old stores on Brant St. turns into a 161-unit condo building, the property taxes paid by each new condo also increase the levy.
This table shows the growth in the Net City Tax Levy over time. Property tax increases account for 44.7% of this growth, and new assessments account for the rest.
The table also shows that the city will collect over $90 million more per year than it did in 2022, and will continue to collect over $90 million more every year going forward.
Altogether, that’s over 47% more than it collected in 2022.
What about debt?
The 2022 year-end financials show the city owes lenders almost $74 million.
What is the debt at the end of 2025? The information isn’t available.
The best we could come up with was this statement in the June 2025 report.
“Further, as of December 31, 2024, the City has an estimated $115 million in total principal debt outstanding. Considering principal debt repayments of $14.9 million, and $45.2 million in approved but not yet issued debt for 2025, the City’s total principal debt outstanding and remaining to be issued as of June 30, 2025, is $145.3million.”
Debt has risen from $74 million in 2022 to something around $145.3 million in 2025.
https://burlingtonpublishing.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=89798
The same document states: “Tax Supported Debt Charges: The City’s 2025 budget for tax supported debt charges is $13.2million, and as of June 30, this budget meets the planned needs of tax supported debt repayments in 2025.”
Meaning payments to service the debt are at least $13.2 million a year, of course this is funded by taxpayers.
What does this all mean?
If we say the city has 200,000 people living in it. The council approved $90 million more in property taxes since the last election, which amounts to $450 more per person living in Burlington. Fortunately, at least for families, we pay taxes in our rent or directly, not on a per-person basis.
In total, the city now collects over $1,400 per person per year.
Are these increases sustainable?
How many people are earning almost 50% more in 2026 than they did in 2022? How many people are spending almost 50% more than they did in 2022 and borrowing millions a year on top of that?
The city may have needed the increases, but clearly, this is not sustainable. It’s time to elect a mayor and council that understands math and finance.
Remember to vote on October, 26, 2026.
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