Mayor Tom Tate and councillors clash about 2025 budget rates

Councillors have clashed with Tom Tate in fiery budget meetings – leading to a rare setback for the Mayor. This is what’s been going on behind closed doors.

Your next Gold Coast rate bill is being determined right now. All of this is occurring in secret debate, behind closed doors at City Hall. What will be the outcome?

Several sources say Mayor Tom Tate and his 14 councillors are close to reaching the point in special budget sessions where they can settle on the actual rate increase number.

The Mayor has a consistent election promise — rates will pegged to CPI increases.

Councillors have promised residents in their suburbs about improving parks and roads.

“There’s definitely a different dynamic this year,” a council source said.

This is an understatement. A councillor who clashed with the Mayor inside Budget was told: “Why don’t you run for Mayor then.”

Mayor Tom Tate facing his toughest budget yet with Gold Coast City councillors to consider how to keep rates at CPI with huge operating costs.

The only consensus is our council’s rate increase will be lower than others.

Would it not be better to see all of this, including the dirty laundry, in open session?

A councillor who strongly supports transparency believes closed sessions avoids “politicising the budget process” and stifling debate.

“We get good debate. We don’t want it to be like in open session then no-one wants to speak about it,” the councillor said.

Your columnist gets regular texts. “Very interesting general rates budget vote. Majority voted against. Motion lost,” a council source said..

Another budget insider said: “In 13 years I reckon this is the first time Tom (Mayor Tom Tate) has lost (on a budget vote).”

The process works this way. City CEO Tim Baker and his administration help frame the document. Councillors debate it and determine spending and cuts.

The 2024 Council budget meeting and adoption. Picture: John Gass.

My council insider says: “Council costs are going up higher than CPI. The wages agreement has led to a 4.5 per cent increase for staffers. General costs are going up four to five times.

“Ratepayers don’t want a massive rate increase, which the Mayor has ruled out. We either reduce spending or find other ways of getting revenue to cover that spending.”

Mr Baker and his managers have offered up all sorts of options of increasing revenue.

This masthead has revealed, if councillors endorse the Budget, that $5 gate tip fees will be introduced at dumps for the first time.

But the feedback from within the chambers, is many other charges are being ruled out.

Councillors have not endorsed the bulk of new parking fees proposed by the administration after Helensvale-based councillor Naomi Fowler was backed by her colleagues.

The council Budget in 2024. Picture: John Gass.

The City is working off a CPI increase of 2.7 per cent. Some neighbouring councillors will deliver rate rises higher than five per cent.

“It’s the first time in a long time this group of politicians have been put in a really firm position — you can’t have everything you want, you will have to pull back on spending,” the council insider says.

“I think no matter what comes out of this, we will have the lowest rate increase in south-east Queensland. It’s just how low it will be.”

Follow @PaulWestonGC 

 

Originally published as Mayor Tom Tate and councillors clash about 2025 budget rates