June 7, 2016
The Road Levy will continue to feature on South Burnett rates notices next year.
But it will not be indexed, and will remain at $200 per annum.
South Burnett Mayor Keith Campbell said on Tuesday the need to retain the levy had emerged during the current 2016-17 Budget discussions.
“We just don’t have enough money to properly maintain the region’s 3500km road network without it,” he said.
The $200-per-notice levy was introduced in the Council’s 2013-14 Budget after the Federal Government slashed the South Burnett’s road maintenance funding by $1.4 million.
Similar levies now apply in several other Queensland regions to make up for government funding shortfalls, including neighbouring Gympie which has a $110 per annum Roads Infrastructure Charge in place.
During the March local government elections, the levy emerged as one of the “hot button” issues of the campaign, with several candidates promising to eliminate it if elected.
Mayor Campbell said he understood most people would like to see levy axed.
He agreed it seemed unfair South Burnett residents had to pay a charge many other Queenslanders didn’t, and would like to see the levy removed from rates notices himself.
But until the Council could persuade the Federal Government to restore the region’s road funding, or develop alternative revenue streams to cover road maintenance costs, it would need to stay in place.
The alternative would be to cut services such as libraries and swimming pools, or allow the region’s road network to disintegrate.
Mayor Campbell said while there had been pressure in some quarters to index the levy to ensure it retained its purchasing power, one compromise achieved in this year’s Budget discussions was to push indexing off the table.
Costs savings in other areas will be used to make up the shortfall instead.
Last week the Mayor flagged the up-coming Budget will also see more money spent on rural road maintenance, which would be achieved by reducing non-essential capital works in town areas.
The 2016-17 Budget is expected to be handed down towards the end of the month.
- Related article: More Money For Rural Roads
