By SONJA KOREMANS
Mayor says rising costs are set to hit property owners…
AN ABOVE-INFLATION rate hike is almost certain for local landowners in July, with the council refusing to rule out the hip-pocket sting.
Southern Downs Regional Council Mayor Peter Blundell has promised to keep rates fair but said an increase was inevitable due to the rising costs of infrastucture, energy, and a freeze on the council’s government funding.
“It would be highly unlikely that there isn’t a rate increase given the economic climate we are in,“ Cr Blundell said.
Questioned on what residents can expect, Cr Blundell declined to commit to a rate capped at inflation, saying a final figure is still being worked through as the council finalises its budget and rates schedule this month.
Last year Cr Blundell delivered a 5 per cent rate increase.
“We are looking at a severe financial constraint, it’s not going to be an easy budget to formulate,“ he said.
As the council grapples with many of the same debt and revenue issues of State Governments and the Commonwealth, Cr Blundell said a freeze on the indexation of Financial Assistance Grants had placed an enormous strain on the books.
“Last year we saw our (Federal Government) financial assistance grants reduce by $100,000, and coupled with that we won’t get a CPI increase on the the funding this year,“ Cr Blundell said.
“From our budgetary considerations, it means we have that much less money to consider for future projects and how we absorb the financial shortfall is still subject to discussion.
“But there is a reality to be faced that either rates go up or services go down.“
The SDRC is crunching the numbers on all service and program costings, with everything from garbage disposal to the Warwick Saleyards under review.
The prospect of adding a waste disposal levy to residents’ rates bill was raised at the SDRC’s recent monthly meeting “as an innovative and transparent way to involve the community of management in waste”.
But it is just one of many potential changes to community provisions residents can expect this year, with Cr Blundell saying “absolutely everything is under review“.
Annual rate notices are scheduled to arrive in the mail at the end of July and early August.
