Ratepayers the winners
MAYOR Tom Tate is poised to deliver his promised “reelection budget” with council papers showing a likely rate increase of just 1.7 per cent.
Asked 12 months ago if his last budget in this council term would be a pre-election one, Councillor Tate told the Bulletin: “Absolutely, it will be a reelection budget and I’ll get in on a landside.”
On Thursday, Cr Tate will deliver a $1.5 billion budget after councillors yesterday finished discussions in closed session at a special budget meeting at Evandale. The council poll is next March.
Committee recommendations provided in open session reveal that on rates and charges there is an adjustment to “reduce average residential from 1.8 per cent to 1.7 per cent”.
The budget papers suggest the funding sources for several items, including the rates and charges for residential property owners and a reduced premium inclusion for commercial properties.
Those funding sources include a reserve adjustment of $482,892 in the strategic priority reserve, the council cash back-up for important items.
Other funding sources could include estimated savings of $295,000 with an operator found for the Helensvale golf club and a financial assistance grant of $940,000 from the Federal Government.
By reducing the average residential rate increase from 1.8 per cent to 1.7 per cent, the budget recommendations on open papers show it would lead to reduced revenue of $996,000.
Asked if it was correct that council was heading towards that rate reduction, Cr Tate replied: “Work in progress.”
However, he rejected suggestions that council would have to dip into its strategic priority reserve.
Cr Tate also dismissed that council would deliver the rate decrease due to savings from the Helensvale golf course decision and the federal grant.
When asked if it was correct that to deliver the rate increase it would essentially cost council about $996,000, he again replied: “Work in progress.”
Open papers show more than $13 million will be allocated to Home of the Arts, and $25 million is to be raised by the tourism component from the general rate.
Further studies on the proposed offshore cruise ship terminal will cost $1.25 million. Councillors Glenn Tozer, Peter Young and Daphne McDonald voted against this component of the budget.
It is understood councillors, many of them lobbying for an increased proportion of the budget to be spent on transport, are pleased with the announcements to bust congestion.
Cr Tate previously proposed a record spend in this year’s council budget to help ease congestion on arterial roads and fund major projects such as stage 3A of the light rail without forcing charges up beyond inflation. He has told the Bulletin of his plans to propose a $165 million spend on transport as part of a $541 million outlay across four years.