Tea Tree Gully increases rates in response to State Government’s rise in Solid Waste Levy

The mayor of a major Adelaide council has used his casting vote to approve the council’s decision to increase its rates as a direct response to the State Government’s rise in Solid Waste Levy.

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Tea Tree Gully Council will increase its rates further as it fears a 40 per cent jump in the state landfill tax will blow a $3 million hole in its budget over the next four years.

Adelaide mayors have been united in outrage this week over the State Government’s increase to the Solid Waste Levy, from $100 to $140 a tonne next financial year.

At a special meeting of council on Thursday night, acting director of assets and environment Justin Robbins estimated ratepayers would be slugged an extra $3 million over the next four financial years, including $484,000 next financial year.

Elected members were deadlocked on Cr Peter Field’s motion to increase rates from a previously approved 2.7 to 2.9 per cent.

He also proposed to take $300,000 from an $800,000 grants pool which is used to support sporting clubs and community groups to plug the gap.

Mayor Kevin Knight used his casting vote to approve Cr Field’s “balanced” motion.

Cr Field told elected members he had “gone beyond anger,” declaring: “We have to fix this, it’s an outrage.

Tea Tree Gully mayor Kevin Knight used his casting vote to approve Cr Field’s “balanced” motion.

“It’s contrary to what they (the government) said they’d do when they got elected.”

Cr Field said the council had been forced to deal with an “outrageous impost”.

“It’s the least worst outcome. Any outcome in this scenario is not good,” he said.

“I just hope we don’t get any more crazy bad news.”

Cr Olivia Savvas said the council’s legitimacy was “under attack” from the State Government.

“We are upset, and the decisions we make are not being made lightly,” she said.

“We have every right to try and shift the blame. It is appropriate to be on the attack.

“It (the rate rise) goes against everything I stand for and everything I believe in.”

Cr Lucas Jones said the levy increase was “blatant cost shifting”.

The council estimates local residents will produce 22,000 tonnes of waste for landfill this financial year, costing the council about $2.2 million in levy charges.

Several Tea Tree Gully councillors are considering voting for a further rate increase as the council predicts a near $500,000 hit to its bottom line through a 40 per cent hike to the state landfill tax.

Adelaide mayors have been united in outrage over the State Government’s increase to the Solid Waste Levy, from $100 to $140 a tonne next financial year.

In response, the council considered a possible rate increase from a planned 2.7 per cent to 3.4 per cent at a special meeting last on Thursday night.

It also considered increasing debt, cutting a capital works program, absorbing the levy increase or campaigning against the increase and “assume it will not be passed on”.

Cr Lyn Petrie told The Advertiser she “might be” pushing for a rate rise but admitted it would be “unfair” on ratepayers.

“I’m angry, we’ve spent months cutting our costs,” Cr Petrie said.

“We have to make a sensible decision in a limited time frame.

“We can’t go back to the drawing board. We’ve been put in a really hard position, the government has forced us into a corner.”

Cr Rob Unger said the council had to either make some “serious cuts” or consider a rate increase.

“It’s not fair to pass on the full amount to residents,” Cr Unger said.

“We may have room to go a little higher, but no more than 2.9 per cent.

“We’ve been blindsided by this.”

However, Cr Peter Field said a jump to 3.4 per cent was “unacceptable”.

“I can’t explain that to my community,” Cr Field said.

“For it to happen so late is very difficult. It’s ($500,000) a lot of money.”

Cr Bernie Keane wanted to explore all avenues before considering a rate increase.

“One minute the government wants to do rate capping, then they hit us with this,” Cr Keane said.

Cr Lucas Jones will push the council to include information on rate notices outlining the increase in the levy.

“I plan to go into the meeting open to any proposals to accommodate these increases, however I will find it very hard to support a rate increase,” Cr Lucas said.

“Why should our council cop the blame for the State Government’s blatant raid on ratepayers hip pockets?”

Cr Brett Rankine said he was “livid” with the Government but had not yet made a decision on how he would vote.

Cr Olivia Savvas declined to comment before the meeting. Cr Damian Wyld did not respond before the deadline.

Cr Robin Coleman was absent for the meeting.

The council estimates local residents will produce 22,000 tonnes of waste to landfill this financial year, costing the council about $2.2 million in levy charges.