Anger over rates hike

By JONATHON HOWARD

GLADFIELD couple, David and Margaret Taylor, said they were bewildered by their latest rates bill which has risen by 8.82 per cent – when they were expecting a 5 per cent hike.
In response, the Southern Downs Regional Council has sought to ease concerns over rate rise discrepancies for some residents.
Council’s Acting Chief Executive Officer David Tuxford said the 5 per cent increase was the overall increase across the Southern Downs.
“However this does vary across individual rates and categories,” he said.
“Some ratepayers may find that their rates increase is less than 5 per cent however in some instances (such as the Taylors) the increase is more.”
The couple, who live on Gladfield Back Road, said they were happy to pay their rates and understand the cost increases.
“What we don’t appreciate is the council telling everyone their rates are going up 5 per cent, only to receive the rates bill and find that statement has been totally false,” Mr Taylor said.
“What should have been explained to the media and the community was that rates would increase from 5 per cent to as much as 10 per cent for some residents, which would have been closer to the truth.”
Mr Taylor said the actual valuation of their standard residential allotment has not risen in the past year.
Mr Tuxford said one of the important considerations that the Rating Advisory Group and Council undertook was the appropriate minimum contribution of every ratepayer to the general revenue of the council.
“This resulted in the minimum general rate rise from $850 to $925 or 8.82 per cent,” he said.
“There is also a rise in the Rural Fire Brigade special charge for all ratepayers.
“These funds are collected by Council on behalf of the Rural Fire Brigade and we have no jurisdiction in the setting of the fee.”
“Council realises that any rate rise can be difficult for local residents but Council must take the long term view of increasing revenue to bring necessary services to ratepayers.”