Weinbrecht said the town is facing a "significant backlog of public safety and infrastructure needs," noting that Cary has not added a new police officer in a decade.
"Cary has not added a new police officer in 10 years, and I can't imagine how much we've grown in that time," he said.
The mayor said the police department is short 89 officers and that the town's growth requires two additional fire stations.
"We've reached a point where public safety levels could be affected," he said.
The newly approved budget funds 55 positions, including six 911 operators, six firefighters and 21 police officers. Mayor Pro Tem Lori Bush said the investment is essential to maintaining emergency response.
"We never want to be in a position where someone calls for help, and we say we couldn't get there fast enough because we didn't have enough people," she said. "That's a core responsibility, and it's something this budget honors."
The plan includes a 2.75-cent property tax increase, a change some residents have said will be difficult to absorb.
Bush acknowledged the strain, saying, "That comes on top of the increased inflation and higher cost of living pressures that we're all feeling across the board."
For a home valued at $650,000, the increase amounts to about $15 more per month, in addition to a separate county-level property tax increase.
Town council members said they struggled with the decision, knowing the effect on families.
"I'm a little nervous because I know that this is going to create a burden for some families," Councilor Sarika Bansal said.
Councilor Michelle Craig added, "I hear from people that a tax increase, it will be very difficult for them to be able to pay their taxes."
Despite concerns, the council said the budget is necessary to restore essential services.
"What this budget is is an investment into people, and it's a really important one," Councilor Carissa Johnson said. "If we put it off any longer, what our entire community, we have seen, experienced is a disruption to their services. We're making a very significant investment in this budget because that's where it's life or death."
The budget also adds new positions in budget and accounting, including a budget director and two audit-focused finance roles, aimed at improving oversight and transparency after allegations that the former town manager mismanaged funds during his tenure.