What is the difference between Operating, Water, and Capital Budgets?

The tax-supported operating budget covers the daily costs of running City services, excluding water and sewer services. These costs include staff salaries, program materials and supplies, and utility costs. After user fees and funding from other levels of government, the primary source of funds to pay for the costs in the operating budget is the tax levy - your property taxes.

The water utility budget is very similar to the operating budget, but focuses specifically on the daily costs associated with delivering clean drinking water and the treatment of wastewater. The primary source of funds to pay for these costs is your water utility bill which includes a portion for water and a portion for wastewater.

The capital budget is the City's capital investment plan, covering repairs and renovations to existing City assets, as well as the building or acquiring of new assets through growth or economic investment. The projects proposed under the Capital Investment Plan are funded from a combination of taxes, water and sewer rates, development charges, gas tax funding from the federal government, debt, and other reserve funds.