City of Sydney residents and business owners will be slugged with higher rates, the local council says.
City of Sydney Council says rates will increase across the board in 2012-13, reflecting the recommendations of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).
Under the recommendations, average household rates will increase by $14 a year, going up to $619.
Average rates for businesses will increase by almost $300 to $16,297 a year.
Businesses outside the CBD will pay $5,807, up from $5,609.
Pensioners who don’t pay rates will remain exempt.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the council had delivered a debt-free budget, allowing it to invest almost $1 billion over the next ten years on major projects including giving George Street a facelift.
She said the council’s expected income would rise by $17.3 million to $467.3 million in 2012-13, due mainly to rates, domestic waste charges and the City’s property portfolio.
It forecast costs to rise by $28 million to $368 million.
The council said twenty-one major projects were due for completion in 2012-13.