Hoppers Crossing Freezes Residential Rates for 28,500 Households in 2026-27

The Hoppers Crossing City Council passed the 2026-27 budget ordinance on July 7 by an 8-1 margin, embedding a one-year freeze on residential property rates and waste collection fees.

Public comment records from the budget process that closed June 30 showed repeated references to higher grocery and fuel costs, prompting councillors to adjust the draft that had originally included a 3.4 percent rates rise.

Effects on Household Budgets

Under the adopted measure, a typical single-family property assessed at the median valuation of $450,000 will receive a rates notice of $2,950, the same amount billed this year, rather than the $3,062 figure contained in the earlier draft. Waste management charges stay fixed at $340 per year and water connection fees remain at the 2025 schedule. The 2026 Municipal Budget Paper lists these charges as line items under the general rates and user charges category, which together account for 41 percent of own-source revenue. Policy analysts note that the freeze applies to all 28,500 residential assessments on the current valuation roll and is expected to hold total annual outlays steady for owner-occupiers and landlords who pass costs through to tenants.

The legislation states that commercial and industrial rates will still rise by 2.1 percent, generating the revenue needed to maintain the $12.4 million allocation for road maintenance and parks listed in the same budget document.

Next Steps in Implementation

The government says the policy will take effect on July 1, 2026, with the first set of unchanged notices mailed in August. Council staff have been instructed to prepare a six-month review of collection data and present findings at the January 2027 meeting, at which point any extension or adjustment would require a new ordinance.