Increasing property taxes by 2.95 per cent may not be appetizing, but it’s necessary to maintain service levels, officials in Cambridge say.

In fact, says the chair of the city’s budget committee, that figure is significantly lower than the “double-digit” increase councillors were first presented with.

“I anticipate that we will try and find some other cuts,” Coun. Michael Mann said Thursday.

Factoring in proposed water and sewer rate increases of more than six per cent, the average homeowner in the city could be on the hook for an extra $92.25 next year.

This is the first time Cambridge has undergone a three-year budget process.

As things stand now, taxpayers should be bracing for a 5.28 per cent tax increase in 2017, and a further 3.77 per cent in 2018.

Calling the 2017 figure “unacceptable,” Mayor Doug Craig said he expected it to be much lower by this time next year.

“Right now, until we get more information, we have to put that number out,” he said.

The cause of the high future increases is a number of big-ticket items planned for the city over the next few years.

In addition to the proposed sportsplex at Conestoga College – which has grown to the point where its estimated cost is now $81 million – the city plans to spend $13.5 million renovating the old Galt post office into a library, and $3.5 million on a new fire hall in the growing north end.

“People have asked for a rec centre. They have asked for us to continue expanding the libraries, as an example. These are things that cost a lot of money,” Craig said.

On the other side of the ledger, councillors were presented Thursday with a list of potential opportunities to reduce the size of the budget.

They included switching to LED streetlights ($264,000 per year in savings), clearing snow from fewer sidewalks (up to $150,000), and closing the Soper Pool ($48,000).

Ending leaf pickup around the city, councillors were told, would save a further $372,000.

Three public meetings are taking place before Dec. 15, when the budget is presented to councillors for approval.