The Town Council during a special meeting on Monday approved the town’s $98,558,765 million budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, which includes funding to bring all-day kindergarten to Johnston’s schools and an increase in the tax rate.

“This year’s budget results in a very small tax increase of about 24 cents for those owner-occupied homes with the 20-percent Homestead Exemption,” said Mayor Joseph Polisena, who addressed the council with an outline of the proposal. “The average home will be paying $37.25 a year more, or $9.31 cents per quarter.”

Johnston’s residential tax rate for 2015 was $28.75 per $1,000 of a home’s assessed value, which according to the Rhode Island Department of Revenue is second only to Woonsocket’s $35.94 rate. Polisena cited several circumstances that led to the tax increase, including all-day kindergarten, state pension settlement changes, the harsh winter’s effect on the road maintenance budget, costs related to the Affordable Care Act, increased utility costs, insurance premium increases on buildings, vehicles and workman’s compensation, and health care.

“We’ll also be committing funds for our town’s long-term obligations, which will help us maintain our high bond rating, which by the way still continues to be the highest ever,” Polisena said.

The mayor also addressed personnel issues, stating that as town employees leave they are not replaced, or if possible they are replaced with part-time workers. Doing so, he said, decreases legacy and health care costs and downsizes town government.

“I ask for your support on the 2015-16 budget. As I have stated, it’s a proven budget that will make our town and infrastructure stronger as well as make our educational system a lot stronger for years to come,” Polisena said. “This is the first time in a few years we’re giving the schools some much needed revenue, and as I said, the all-day kindergarten program is very important.”

The funding the district receives from the town has been level-funded for several years, and last year totaled $37,129,015. The coming year’s budget increases that amount by $400,000. The total school budget, including state aid, is $52,313,304.

“I want to thank the council and mayor this evening for giving us all-day kindergarten,” School Committee Chairwoman Janice Mele said. “This is something we really need, and there’s only seven communities that didn’t have it, and we were one.”

Other budgets of note include $12,704,886 for the Police Department, an increase of $311,408 over the previous year. The Fire Department was set at $15,293,573, an increase of $1,086,405 year over year.

The snow removal budget remains unchanged from the current year, with $50,000 for materials and $75,000 for vendors. The record winter this year saw a significant overage in those expenditures, with the town having spent $90,980 on materials and $86,279 for vendors as of March 25.

The council unanimously approved the budget before addressing three other matters. The first, an ordinance, ordered the assessment and collection of property tax on rated real estate, tangible personal property, and an excise tax on registered motor vehicles and trailers, which was also passed.

Two resolutions – one authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement for printing and mailing of tax bills, and a second authorizing him to enter into an agreement for collection and disposal of municipal waste and recyclables within the town by Patriot Disposal – were also approved.