WATERLOO - Spending millions more has helped Waterloo city hall achieve almost all its goals, council says.

In a glowing report card it wrote itself, city hall claims it has met, or is on track to meet, 60 of 65 initiatives for the council term ending in 2018. That's after council agreed early in its term to spend an extra $11 million on its priorities.

Councillors asked staff to make sure the news gets to the public. Councillors face re-election next year.

"I think this council was able to allocate a number of resources," Coun. Jeff Henry said, praising city hall for "putting its money where its mouth was."

Pending budget confirmations in December, city council is on track for an effective tax increase estimated at 13.2 per cent over the last four years, adding $167 a year to the costs of a typical home including city property and drainage taxes.

This increase excludes regional and education taxes that account for the bulk of Waterloo property taxes. It does not include water rates.

It's almost twice the total tax increase imposed by the last council at seven per cent. It exceeds the total increase of 12.5 per cent imposed by the council before that, making this the biggest-taxing council in a dozen years.

The increase could be twice inflation, standing at 4.7 per cent through the first three years of council's term.

City hall's report card shows it has achieved much by spending more money.

Numerous successes include trail and street upgrades, cemetery expansion, sports and recreation upgrades, advancement of a new library, more subsidized housing, relocation of computer servers, more joint services with neighbours, industrial land development, private investment in the Northdale campus area and the development of a comprehensive zoning bylaw.

They faltered on only on five of the 65 initiatives: A stalled downtown parking garage; an urban design manual that's behind schedule; a delayed parks strategy; a stalled update to green building policy; and a delayed call centre upgrade.

City hall promotes itself in part through an online video. Coun. Mark Whaley asked that the public be told of the few setbacks along with many successes when city hall promotes its report card. "Our citizens want to know warts and all," he said.