Gympie rates to rise 3.2% in council budget

Gympie ratepayers will be paying more at their next rates bill with the council handing down a budget which laid out a plan to scrape into surplus

Gymie ratepayers have been hit with an average rate rise of 3.5 per cent in a council budget which overhauls core parts of its processes.

Gympie ratepayers have been slugged with an average rate rise of 3.2 per cent under the councils new budget which Mayor Glen Hartwig says continues its promise to go “back to basics”.

The $157.6 million budget includes a $40.07 million capital works program with an expectation to scrape into surplus by $60,000 at the end of the financial year.

Most residential ratepayers can expect to pay an overall increase of no more than 3.22 per cent thanks to an overhaul of how the council is delivering it rates bills.

Residents will find several changes to this year’s bills.

Most residential ratepayers will be about 3.22 per cent more on their total bill.

The early bird discount for paying on time has been slashed from 10 per cent to 5 per cent.

However the payment now applies to entire rates bill including the special levies.

This includes the Economic, Environmental, Road Infrastructure and Moy Pocket levies, which are all to be rolled into general rates.

“The levy revenue was, and will be, used for council to deliver projects and core services,” the council’s budget documents say.

The council says this budget’s overall average rise is still lower than in previous years.

“These are no longer specific projects to be funded by these levies rather they are ongoing services to the community, therefore to call them a levy isn’t true and correct.”

The increase in the hit to the hit pocket of ratepayers is well above this year’s CPI increase across Australia and Queensland, which rose 1.1 per cent and 1.7 per cent respectively between March 2020 and March 2021.

However the council’s rate-in-the-dollar increase on properties has been kept between these marks at 1.42 per cent.

The council’s overall revenue will rise 3.53 per cent.

Before and after of water infrastructure repairs.

The $160 pensioner rebate remains.

Mr Hartwig said in his budget statement the focus remains on fixing core infrastructure.

“There is a desperate need to replace ageing pipework that reached its expiration a number of years ago,” Mr Hartwig says.

“To bring back this standard is going to take some time, especially in the water and sewage area and to do this, we will need further funding.”