Lithgow Council has corrected mis-statements that are being circulated about the impact on most landowners from a proposed increase in land rates.
The Council’s General Manager, Craig Butler said, “The NSW Government’s IPART has approved the Council’s application to increase the overall income from land rates by 45.7%. But it is a decision for the Council as to how to recover this extra income from across all properties.”
“The really important fact that isn’t being reported is that when preparing the proposal, the Council took a specific decision to apply a lower average increase to the residential, farmland and business (general) categories of 27.50%.”
“The balance of the increase will be levied against the business power generation sub-category, mining category and a new quarrying business sub-category or sub-categories.”
“Historically, Lithgow’s land rates have been set at a very low level. In fact, the level is too low to be able to maintain the city and the well-being of the people, let alone help these to flourish. Also, a greater financial burden is being created for the near future. This requires an unavoidable correction to our financial position.
“While the Council has carefully crafted the proposed additional funding model to minimise the burden on the ordinary person, it is acknowledged that any increase will prove challenging to some in the community. But in making their decision IPART observed that even after the increase, the Council’s average rates will be similar to those of neighbouring and comparable councils today.”