Politics
Essendon Council Approves 2026 Budget with Municipal Service Fee Increase for Property Owners
The 5-2 vote sets an average $45 annual rise in bills for Essendon households starting with the January 2027 payment cycle.
How we reported this
Essendon City Council passed its 2026-2027 operating budget on July 8 with a 3.2 percent increase to the municipal service fee that applies to all 48,000 residential properties. The measure adds revenue for street repairs and drainage upgrades across the six wards.
The vote came at the end of the fiscal planning cycle when the city projected a $1.8 million shortfall in general revenue. Council documents show the fee adjustment replaces a planned cut to the parks maintenance line item that had been proposed in May.
Effects on Household Costs and Services
Property owners will see the change on their first 2027 bill, which arrives in December 2026. A typical single-family home assessed at the median value will pay an extra $45 over the year, while multi-unit buildings will face proportional increases based on unit count. The added funds are directed to repaving 12 miles of local roads and replacing storm drains in the North Ward and Central Ward.
City budget papers list $2.4 million for those road projects and $920,000 for drainage work in the coming fiscal year. Residents in flood-prone blocks near the river corridor can expect crews to begin assessments in September, with construction bids scheduled for early 2027.
Implementation Schedule
City staff will mail updated assessment notices by December 15. Payments remain due on the same quarterly schedule already in place. The legislation states that any surplus from the fee increase must be reported in the mid-year financial update scheduled for March 2027.
Local advocates note that the fee structure includes an exemption process for households already receiving the senior discount program. Applications open on August 1 through the city clerk’s office.