Toowoomba council to hand down 2024-25 budget, mayor Geoff McDonald says tough decisions to be made

Residents could be in for more financial pain ahead of Toowoomba council budget, with the mayor unveiling the major “pinch points” for the organisation. OUR PREVIEW HERE:

Toowoomba mayor Geoff McDonald says this week’s council budget is about “belief in our community’s future”, as he foreshadowed more financial pain for residents over the next 12 months.

Ratepayers will find out on Wednesday if leaked predictions of a double-digit rate rise will come to fruition, potentially costing homeowners hundreds of extra dollars in charges.

Mr McDonald continued to prime residents about potential financial pressure, revealing to News Corp costs like insurance, electricity and waste services were key “pinch points” for the Toowoomba Regional Council.

“Budgets are all about belief in our community, in our future and therefore the whole idea (with this budget) is to strengthen our foundations,” he said.

Toowoomba Mayor Geoff McDonald. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“For a successful region to prosper, we need to deliver on essential services — that’s been our focus, and sometimes those decisions are tougher than others, but all those decisions are made with all information available at the time.

“Insurance costs alone, with no additional cover, have gone up over 77 per cent and the premiums have increased 73 per cent from this year to next year alone.

“Electricity, we’re forecasting a 15 per cent increase — these are the pinch points and these things start to add up.”

It comes a week after Mr McDonald promised the council would achieve a “near balanced budget” after slashing costs to rake in an initial deficit of more than $14m.

News Corp analysis of the past three budgets has revealed a family-of-four in Toowoomba household with a median land value of $265,000 (the latest median) that uses 200 litres of water per person daily has paid an extra 4.5 per cent in all rates, fees and charges since the 2022 financial year.

The hypothetical family was hit with $4734 in charges for the 2022-23, increasing to $4855 in 2023-24 and nearly $4950 the current financial year.

The data revealed there was a combined 15 per cent increase to all rates and charges for most residents between the 2022 and 2024 financial years, including a 6.4 per cent rise in the previous budget.

The waste facilities/environmental levy has increased more than nine per cent during that time, as has the cost to residents of the public transport levy and its predecessors (the park and open space levy and the biosecurity and bushland conservation levy).

The budget will be handed down at 9.30am Wednesday.

Originally published as Toowoomba council to hand down 2024-25 budget, mayor Geoff McDonald says tough decisions to be made