Moncton’s 2027 budget includes a slight dip in the residential tax rate and a slate of new police officers and firefighters. The operating budget, which received council approval on Thursday, weighs in at $253 million for day-to-day programs and services. The utility operating budget is $49.3 million while the capital budget, which covers infrastructure, is $94.6 million, according to a news release from the city. The utility operating budget is $49.3 million while the capital budget, which covers infrastructure, is $94.6 million, according to a news release from the city. The budget will have an eight-cent decrease for the residential property tax. Moncton says it has dropped the tax rate by roughly 37 cents per $100 since 2021. The city also did not approve the provincial stabilizer rate, which would have increased the tax on 90 per cent of residential properties by 5.4 per cent. “The priority throughout this budget process was to manage financial pressures while protecting taxpayers, maintaining the services residents rely on and aligning our financial resources with the new Council’s strategic priorities,” says Jacques Doucet, general manager of finance services and chief financial officer, in the release. The city is also planning to increase the annual water and wastewater charge by 2.46 per cent for the average household. New police, firefighters The budget made room for “significant investments in public safety,” including: Earlier this week, Moncton and the province unveiled a pilot program that will appoint municipal bylaw enforcement officers as special constables under the Police Act. Other budget highlights include: For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.