Mayor Andrea Horwath is directing city staff to target a maximum tax increase of 4.25 per cent in Hamilton’s 2026 budget.

In a press conference at city hall Tuesday, Horwath announced her mayoral directive to staff — including city manager Marnie Cluckie and general manager of finance and corporate services Mike Zegarac. The targeted maximum increase is significantly less than the 8.9 per cent hike proposed in a staff report last month — though council was told that could be whittled to 6.6 per cent.

Horwath said staff have also been directed to ensure critical infrastructure investments — like roads, transit and water and wastewater — as well as community safety, public safety initiatives, recreation facilities and programming, housing, and services levels are not compromised.

“I’ve

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