Although some Warwick businesses will see a 60 per cent increase in their general rates and a significant backlash from the community was imminent, Southern Downs Regional Mayor Ron Bellingham says the council had no choice but to put Warwick on an equitable basis with Stanthorpe businesses. This comment came after the council adopted the 2011/12 budget last week. Cr Bellingham said the council had made a commitment to the Stanthorpe community to equalise the rate in the dollar for both Warwick and Stanthorpe businesses this year. Previously Stanthorpe businesses were paying a higher rate in the dollar than their city counterparts. To make it fair, the council had to reduce the rate for Stanthorpe but had to increase it in Warwick. “This was the challenge for the council but sooner or later we had to have people paying on an equitable basis,” Cr Bellingham said. “It was a massive difference that was unacceptable and we couldn’t condone the continuation of that. I knew before I took this job this term, it was going to be an extremely difficult process,” he said. “I’ll admit I would have been more confident to commit to a three-year period of reductions (Stanthorpe) and three-year period for increases (Warwick).” He blamed this not happening on the untimely State valuations in both communities. “If we had had timely State valuations in both Stanthorpe and Warwick, we would have been able in the first year (of amalgamation) to introduce the changes that were necessary and I could confidently say the increases would have been over three years,” the Mayor said. “Last year was the first year we had a uniformed valuation across the region, so last year was the first year we could have tackled the equalisation,” he said. “We’re very aware of the impacts of the floods and the potential of the carbon tax, but it will affect the council as well. It’s frightening where it could potentially lead. “The reverse could have been that we could have raised the Warwick CBD rates up to the level that Stanthorpe was.” He refuted claims that the council had not been transparent with their budget deliberations. “I think we released our budget details three days sooner than we did last year. All the processes have been quite transparent. In fact, we’re probably more transparent than a lot of other councils,” Cr Bellingham said.
Story: Rebecca Brown
