By Eleanor Wilson
Residents in the City of Casey face a 1.75 increase in average general rates in the next financial year, in line with the state rate cap.
The move is a 0.25 per cent increase from last year’s 1.5 per cent rate, and is expected to raise $3.9 million revenue for Casey Council to use on key projects outlined in the 2022-23 budget.
“We do have a strong commitment to ensuring value for money for this community, most particularly adopting the rate cap as part of that,” City of Casey chair of administrators Noelene Duff said.
“Many of the cost impacts on this council’s operations are far greater than that 1.75 per cent, so this becomes a balancing act for us,” she said.
Council said hardship options were available for ratepayers who are unable to meet these increases, including deferments and waivers of interest and charges.
Chief financial officer Bernard Rohan said the rate cap was the “key issue that council grapples with each year”.
Mr Rohan said the 2022-23 rate cap, which represented a state mandated maximum rate that councils can charge residents in a financial year, was lower than previous estimates for the 2022-23 financial year.
“In setting the draft 2022-23 budget, officers have had to provide parameters around how we absorb that loss of revenue,” he said.
Mr Rohan said the second substantive element of the budget was the increase in waste management costs.
This year’s budget included a 9.3 per cent increase in waste management costs, equating to $4.5 million dollars.
Council attributed the increased costs to the State Government Landfill Levy and recycling costs, with the latter expected to rise by $1 million as a result of the “statewide recycling crises”.
The State Government Landfill Levy indicates an increased charge on domestic and hard waste and is projected to represent a $2.4 million increase in charges to council for 2022-23.
“We are living at a time where waste management is creating significant challenges, not just for local government, but for State and Federal governments,” said council administrator Miguel Belmar.
“I am absolutely satisfied that as a council we are doing everything possible to ensure that these costs are managed and maintained at a level where we are passing on costs and doing it in a way which is financially responsible.”
