The Kingston City Council officially adopted the city’s Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget during a brief, five-minute special called meeting and public hearing on Tuesday evening at Kingston City Hall.

The budget passed with a unanimous vote from all council members in attendance. No members of the public spoke during the hearing, which featured the proposed budget as the sole agenda item.

While the newly approved budget spares Kingston residents from a property tax increase, local households will see a bump in their monthly utility bills:

• Water and Sewer: Rates will increase by 5%.

• Garbage Collection: The monthly residential fee will rise from $11.00 to $12.50.

The updated garbage fee will continue to be bundled into customers’ monthly water and sewer bills.

According to City Manager David Bowling, the adjustment to the waste management fee was necessary to address ongoing deficits. In a text message, Bowling explained that the city has been losing money on garbage collection under its current contract with Waste Connections. He noted that the $1.50 monthly increase is strictly intended to recover that lost revenue and cover the city’s operational collection costs.

The approved measures will take effect for the upcoming 2026-2027 fiscal year.