BCC - budget articles and discussion

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here

Brisbane rates to rise to fund improved transport

Brisbane rates to rise to fund improved transport
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Leanne Edimstone and AAP

June 11, 2008 07:50am

A HEFTY rates hike and increased funding for roads and public transport are expected to be included in Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman's budget today.

Brisbane City Council is Australia's largest local government authority and the lord mayor will today hand down a record $2.66 billion budget.

Mr Newman has promised the budget will include a large increase in funding to combat traffic congestion.

Extra funding is expected to be allocated for the city's bus and ferry networks, as well as for an election commitment to build $100 million worth of cycleways.

Road infrastructure is also expected to receive a funding boost, including construction of the controversial Hale St bridge which is scheduled to begin in June.
"Rates will be going up ahead of inflation, and it will be significant compared to the last four years and the last four budgets I've handed down but I promise people this, every penny will be going into dealing with traffic congestion," Cr Newman told ABC Radio.

"Traffic congestion is costing people real time, we have to deal with it and that's why we have put the rates up in the way we are going to today, that's why we will be able to afford what we're doing and I hope that people can see that we are absolutely committed to dealing with things we said we would do in the recent election campaign."

Mr Newman, the highest ranked Liberal in Australia following the Howard government's defeat last November, will deliver his budget speech at Brisbane City Hall at 11am (AEST) today.

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here!

Brisbane rates up 8.76 per cent

Brisbane rates up 8.76 per cent
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Alison Sandy

June 11, 2008 11:00am

RATEPAYERS will pay almost an extra $140 next year after Lord Mayor Campbell Newman tripled last year's rates increase, breaking a key promise as he did so.

Average rates for owner occupiers will increase by 8.76 per cent, up from 2.74 per cent last year, but residents living in units, apartments and townhouses in the CBD would be hardest hit with Cr Newman adding a substantial loading fee to their rates bill.

    Budget main points
    Local roads upgrades and maintenance: $143 million
    TransApex Hale Street Link - construction: $115.2 million
    New buses: $60.4 million
    Clem Jones Tunnel - next phase: $15.2 million
    Road Resurfacing: $35 million
    New City Pools - Karawatha, Wishart and Morningside: $15.6 million
    Bushland Acquisition Program: $19 million
    Bus Depot - Willawong: $38.9 million
    King George Square Redevelopment: $14.5 million
    Water Leak Management and Pressure Reduction program: $18.1 million

Cr Newman apologised for breaking his promise on rates, despite admitting he'd had the figure in mind for several months and was still saying "low single digit" as recently as last week.

"I acknowledge that they're not low single digit rate rises and I take responsibility for that," he said.

"We are determined to tackle traffic congestion and I hope that people understand that's why we've done what we've done in terms of the rates outcome.

"To make a real, meaningful impact on the things that are costing people time and money ... we need to spend a significant amount of money on the road network and public and active transport, that's why we're doing this."

Cr Newman said the new rating system would provide a "parity factor" with owners of units or apartments worth more than $1 million copping rate increases of nine per cent, or 60 per cent if the property was valued at more than $10 million.

He also said at least $936 million would need to be borrowed just to fund forward projects, not including the Northern Link Tunnel.

[ozbob]

From Brisbanetimes click here!

Ratepayers hit with $138 rise

Ratepayers hit with $138 rise
Tony Moore | June 11, 2008 - 11:00AM

Brisbane home owners paying an extra $138.50 - or 8.76 per cent - in rates next year can be thankful for one thing ... at least they're not "luxury" unit owners.

Brisbane City Council's 2008/09 budget sees rates increase amid rising inflation, spiralling construction costs and the Queensland Government's new bulk water price.

In a Robin Hood-style ploy, Lord Mayor Campbell Newman is hitting so-called "luxury" apartment owners to make rates fairer in the suburbs.

While stand-alone home owners will pay on average $34 more a quarter, luxury apartment owners - people who live in complexes on land valued at more than $1 million - will pay $45 more a quarter.

That equates to a $138.50 extra per year (8.7 per cent) for home owners and $170.88 (13.5 per cent) per year for luxury apartment owners.

Non-residential rates are up to 10.4 per cent and rural rates will rise 12 per cent.

The rates rise breaks Cr Newman's election promise of just a few weeks ago that any rises would be "low, single-digit" percentages.

This morning he defended the increase.

"We are spending money on the things that matter, we will tackle traffic congestion and I take responsibility for that," Cr Newman said.

He rejected suggestions that he had misled Brisbane ratepayers.

"I take responsibility for dealing with what has to be done at the time, which is to tackle traffic congestion."

Previously, unit owners paid a general rate based on their "share" of the unimproved value of the land where the unit or apartment was situated.

But from today, people living in units and apartments on land valued at more than $1 million will be hit with a "parity factor" that ups their rates contribution as their ratio of the land value increases.

"The old method of calculating (community title schemes, or apartment blocks) resulted in extremely low valuations for individual units because their share of the land value is so small," Cr Newman said.

"General rates are based on the principal of the owner's 'capacity to contribute'.

"This method is deliberately designed to protect properties at the lower end of the market, while ensuring that units at the very top end of the market pay their fair share."

The scheme effects both owner-occupier and investment properties.

The rates increase for unit owners will rise from 7.9 per cent for a unit on land valued at less than $1 million, to 9 per cent for land valued between $1 million and $5 million, by 16 per cent for land between $5million and $10million and 60 per cent on land worth more than $10million.

These rates are higher for apartments that are investment properties.

Cr Newman conceded the large rates increase this morning, but said the new state government-set bulk water price added 2.4 per cent - or an extra 30 cents per kilolitre - to each person's overall rates bill.

Every other charge on residents' quarterly rates bill will rise as well, with sewerage fees and the wheelie bin charge both up 5.8 per cent.

And the bushland levy will increase by more than one third, up from $33 per year to $45 each year.

Cr Newman rejected suggestions he had concealed this during the election campaign when he promised to acquire extra bushland.

He said bushland was now more expensive to buy.

From today the ceiling at which pensioner rates remissions come into effect increases from $660 to $710 for a full pension and from $235 to $277 for a part pension.

[curator49]

It is about time that major road and other public transport infrastructure be taken away from the city council. No wonder we have such a dysfunctional public transport system. Campbell Newman will never support rail because he has responsibilities for buses and road tunnels as well as the City Cats and he has no input into rail serving Brisbane.

We will continue to pay big time for the grandiose road tunnels and the excessive tolls for using these which few people will use until road closures by council force people to use them.

[ozbob]

The population centres are much larger than BCC these days.  Would make a lot of sense if Government assumed the overall responsibility for public transport via the TTA.   I suppose the big issue then would be financial compensation to BCC for the transport asset.  If it was done with water guess it can be done with transport.

 

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here!

Brisbane budget tackles big ticket infrastructure projects

Brisbane budget tackles big ticket infrastructure projects
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Alison Sandy

June 11, 2008 11:59pm

ROADS and infrastructure were the cornerstone of Brisbane City Council's record $2.66 billion budget, with more than a third spent on capital works.
In his fifth budget, Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said he would seize the opportunity to tackle the big-ticket issues.

"That is an increase of almost $200 million on my last budget, which was also a record capital works investment," he said in his budget speech.

"This commitment is an indication of how strongly I feel about traffic congestion - and how much I recognise that it is impacting on people's lives."

Major projects include $864 million on roads, bikeways and public transport and $138 million on TransApex projects such as the Hale Street Bridge and Northern Link, $150 million to address climate change and $60 million for 125 new buses.

The council also will spend $200 million on public transport - including $25 million on bikeways - and $8 million for the restoration of City Hall.

"Brisbane needs record numbers of buses and record roads funding, because without it, the city will not so much grind to a halt, but slowly choke to death.

"The budget strikes a balance between public transport, road improvements, active transport and cycleways and other essential programs of infrastructure," he said.

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here!

Brisbane cyclists to benefit with network increase

Brisbane cyclists to benefit with network increase
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Emma Chalmers

June 11, 2008 11:59pm

BRISBANE City Council will fast-track the expansion of the city's bikeway network and new paths after funding was quadrupled in yesterday's budget.
More than $25 million will be spent in the coming financial year to build new bike paths and complete "missing links" in the network.

City Hall has committed to spending $100 million in four years to build bikeways - four times the amount spent on cycle paths in Lord Mayor Campbell Newman's last term in office.

"This is a significant commitment that will reduce traffic congestion, decrease carbon emissions, promote fitness and increase safety around schools," he said yesterday.

Bicycle Queensland manager Ben Wilson, pictured,  said the  spending was overdue, but welcome. "The challenge will be to build enough with the dollars in that four years."

In addition, Cr Newman will push ahead with his plan to offer free bike hire around the city, budgeting $600,000 next financial year to kick-start the scheme.

However, City Hall will rely on the private sector for the additional funding needed to run the initiative, which he hopes will involve the installation of automated bike stations around the city.