Hefty rate rises for North Burnett Council ratepayers
A financially strapped North Burnett council is expected to impose more big rate rises when it brings down it 2023-24 budget on Tuesday, and nobody is getting off lightly.
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North Burnett ratepayers can expect a massive hit to the wallet as the council jacks rates to recoup finances when it hands down its 2023/24 budget on Tuesday, June 27.
The North Burnett Regional Council is expected to lift the general rate by 5.01 per cent in the budget, but Mt Perry ratepayers can expect a 13.65 per cent rise equal to an average increase of $352.48.
Ratepayers in Biggenden, Monto, Eidsvold, Mundubbera and Gayndah will be slightly less impacted, with their total rates expected to rise by 9.36 per cent or $311.08.
Levies are expected to rise as standard, with only a few dollars difference for the Local Disaster Management Levy, the Natural Resource Levy and the Landfill Management Levy.
Utility charges are expected to jump from $684 to $735 for water and kerbside collection is expected to rise by $16.
The largest utility increase will be sewerage charges, which will rise by more than $100 from $532 in the 2022/2023 budget to $699 in the 2023/2024 budget.
Inability to manage ratepayers’ finances ‘spelled out in black and white’
Farmers holding their breaths in anticipation of a rate rise similar to the 13.40 per cent rise handed down in the last budget may be able to let out a small sigh of relief.
Rates for land holders of more than 100ha can expect a 7.53 rise in their rates, equal to $311.88.
Early ratepayers will miss out on the bigger benefits of 2022, with the General Rate Discount to drop from 5 per cent to 2.5 per cent.
The North Burnett Council will vote to confirm the increases as outlined in the 2023/2024 budget agenda documents on Tuesday, June 27, 2023.
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