Playford mayor Glenn Docherty's council has taken on an extra $502,000 as a result of the State Government's increase to the solid waste levy. PHOTO: Sam Bradbrook
MAYORS from around the region have banded together to criticise the State Government’s 40 per cent hike to its solid waste levy, as councils look to find ways to cope with the increase.
Playford Council is set to be one of the worst-affected councils in the state by the rise, with the already-embattled council set to incur an additional $502,000 hit to its 2019/20 budget.
Mayor Glenn Docherty said the “rubbish tax” would mean ratepayers are “penalised every time they use their red-lidded bin.”
“Council is still finalising its annual budget but this rubbish tax will have immediate implications,” he said.
“Playford ratepayers are already annually slugged $2.4 million in State Government rubbish taxes and that will now rise to $2.9 million.
“To reduce the future burden of this State Government rubbish tax we need every family in our community to recycle their rubbish properly.
“Council works hard with our residents to highlight the benefits of using the correct bin for their waste and we will continue to do so.”
At its meeting last night – held after The Bunyip’s print deadline – Playford councillors voted on the most appropriate rate rise to cope with the increased levy.
Playford ratepayers, who were already preparing for a rate rise of 3.9 per cent, could see that figure raised to 4.6 per cent to cope with the levy hike.
Options of 2.6 per cent, 3.3 per cent or 3.7 per cent were also presented to councillors, but came with cutbacks to service and project initiatives.
Regional councils will now have to pay $70 per tonne on to dump rubbish in landfill, with Barossa mayor Bim Lange saying his council was not as badly affected by the rise.
“In respect to the Barossa Council, we come under the regional zone, so the hit perhaps isn’t as severe as the metro councils, but it does add an $86,000 additional cost to our budget.
“We’re looking at adding that to our existing service charge, which will probably work out to a dollar per household.
“Council will decide whether it absorbs those other additional costs, it’s probably another $50,000 we have to find extra to make up that shortfall.”
Light Regional Council mayor Bill O’Brien also confirmed the council would not take on a rate rise to cope with the levy hike.
