September 5, 2013
South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann believes that talk about a proposed “road levy revolt” being advocated by some disgruntled residents on Facebook seems unlikely.
Since rates notices incorporating the new road levy were issued three weeks ago, some residents have suggested on social media sites that while they’ll pay their rates, they’ll withhold paying the $50 road levy as a protest.
Others have questioned the council’s legal right to create any type of levy.
But this week Mayor Kratzmann confirmed the council had a legal right to charge levies, and cautioned that anyone withholding payment of the road levy would lose their discount.
“Council gives ratepayers a 10 per cent discount for paying their rates bill in full on or before the due date,” he said.
“Other councils give a lower discount, and some give none at all.
“But the key thing is that the entire amount of the rates notice needs to be paid. So if someone held back their road levy portion as a protest, they’d lose their entire discount.
“And given that the road levy amounts to $50 on a quarterly rates bill or $25 if the ratepayer is a pensioner, and discounts are usually much bigger than that amount, it doesn’t seem like a very good idea.”
The Mayor said that despite rumblings on Facebook, council officers had noticed no effect on collections.
“We’re not happy about having to introduce the road levy and we know it’s not popular,” Mayor Kratzmann said.
“But we need to fix our roads up. And with the loss of Federal and State grants for this we really don’t have any other choice.
“I understand people are unhappy right now – I pay rates and I’m not happy either – but I hope that in 12 months from now everyone will look around at our roads and say it was worth it.”
