How Windsor freezes 2026 taxes a mystery as mayor’s budget document filled with blank pages

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Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens has officially tabled budget documents that would hold the line on property taxes in 2026 — but how he achieved this cost-saving feat remains partly a mystery.

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That’s because roughly a third of his proposed changes to the city’s operating budget — 104 out of 308 pages — were intentionally left blank.

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According to documents published online on Monday, those empty pages deal with in-camera items, meaning they could impact staffing or service levels, or involve city council receiving legal advice. Those issues will be discussed and dealt with behind closed doors.

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Unlike with previous city budgets, this year’s documents mostly exclude projected departmental staffing numbers.

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Dilkens told the Star the blank pages relate to 41 in-camera items, some of which may not come to fruition.

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“When we’re talking about positions, when we’re talking about realignments or efficiencies, council may not take some of these cuts. They may opt to make a different choice,” he said  Tuesday.

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“You don’t want to put out a public document that lights a flare and gets people who work here concerned about something that may never happen.”

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Keeping those matters out of public budget documents, he said, is “a sensible way to do it,” one that the law allows.

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Without sharing details about any in-camera budget documents, Dilkens said they mainly relate to identifiable individuals and staff positions.

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Dilkens said he doubts his budget proposes any “major changes” that will receive significant public pushback.

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The total proposed municipal property tax levy for 2026 is nearly $505 million.

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What will cost the city more in 2026?

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Documents show $17,600,112 in funding preapprovals and pressures with “little or no discretion,” meaning council has no choice but to move ahead with those budget increases. They include contractual and pre-approved wage adjustments, pension contributions, and benefits.

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It will also take $6,074,704 more to maintain current service levels; $6,911,553 more to accommodate the city’s agencies, boards, and committees (such as Windsor police); and $7,133,992 more for the previously approved asset management plan and local residential road fund.

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So how does mayor’s budget avoid raising taxes?

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The budget proposes $28,188,420 in added revenue and “operating efficiencies,” and another $9,531,941 in inflation mitigation measures. Some of those measures have been kept out of public documents, while others are included.

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The 2026 draft budget contemplates increasing user fees at community and recreational facilities, including memberships for the WFCU Centre pool, as well as ice, other pool, gym, room, and floor rentals elsewhere. Together, those changes would bring in an extra $725,000.