Cairns Mayor trumpets ‘financially prudent’ budget
CAIRNS
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CAIRNS residents have got off more lightly than their Douglas Shire counterparts after the 2018-19 Cairns Regional Council Budget was adopted earlier this week.
While Douglas Shire residents received a 3.9% rate rise last week, Cairns has only imposed a 1.7% rise, which is in line with CPI.
This is a snapshot of their budget:
OPERATING EXPENDITURE
• Cairns Regional Council delivered a Budget with a total operating expenditure/revenue of $301 million.
RATES
• General rate increase of 1.7%
• Utility access charges increase by 1.7%
• Water usage charges increase by 2c/kilolitre
• No revaluations or rating category changes means all ratepayers will receive the same 1.7% increase.
CAPITAL WORKS
• Total Capital Works Program worth $165.7m
• $17.7m to complete Cairns Performing Arts Centre
• $27.2m on roads and transport
• $50.5m on water and sewerage infrastructure
• $29.7m on sporting and recreation infrastructure
• $2.1m to start refurbishment of former Cairns Courthouse
ECONOMY
• $374m will be spent in the community on resources, materials and services
• $3.7m to support tourism industry and economic development activities.
• $1.1m to support major sporting and cultural events.
Cairns Mayor Bob Manning said the budget maintained Council's record of low rate rises, low debt and significant expenditure in capital works 'to deliver important new infrastructure and to maintain and improve our existing assets.'
“This responsible and financially prudent budget is the product of a unified and collaborative approach in the interests of the city as a whole," Cr Manning said.
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