RATE notices for properties on the minimum general rate will rise by about $214 a year under Logan City Council’s $1.39 billion budget.
Logan City Council says the bottom line of those notices will increase by 5.49 per cent, or $4.12 a week, in 2026/27.
It’s been a harrowing four years for ratepayers who have seen increases totaling more than $600 a year over that time.
In percentage terms, the rise is lower than last year, but higher than the back-to-back stings of 2023 and 2024 which hovered around 4%.
Until then, it had been 13 years since a rates increase of more than 4%.
Cr Jon Raven said council had worked to find savings over the past two years, while this year’s budget rises more than $200 million above the 2024/25 budget.
“Like all councils, we’re facing rising costs for things like construction and fuel,” Cr Raven said.
“We’ve worked hard to find savings and keep up the work we started last year to make our rates system fairer.”
Big-ticket items in council’s $923 million infrastructure program include $468.4 million for water and wastewater, $335.2 million for roads and drainage, $89.7 million for parks and $61.1 million for community facilities.
Of that, $89.25 million has been allocated towards a new wastewater treatment plant at Chambers Flat, while $25 million has been set aside for the Chambers Flat Road and Park Ridge Road intersection and $15 million for the Teviot Road and Homestead Drive intersection.
Council says mowing, litter collection, tip vouchers, free green waste disposal and kerbside clean-up will continue, while the budget also includes an investigation into tip vouchers for renters.
Parks funding includes $1.1 million for batting cages at Regents Park, $1.7 million for court replacement at Dauth Park, and $14.9 million towards the future Waterford West District Park.
Other spending includes $426,000 to make the Rapid Response Taskforce permanent, $140,000 for 12 new covert safety cameras, $3.76 million over five years for drains and creeks and $175,000 to help clear tree-related requests following Cyclone Alfred.
The budget also includes $500,000 for Slacks Creek and Scrubby Creek recovery works, $299,000 for bushfire and disaster readiness, $6.6 million over five years to attract more major events and $350,000 over five years to expand KRANK school holiday programs.
A community space at Park Ridge East/Logan Reserve will cost $5.6 million and a $17.5 million program for sport and recreation infrastructure will include $2.25 million for the Logan Indoor Sports Centre.
Council says its total contribution towards enhancement items and additional scope at the Logan Indoor Sports Centre will be $44.5 million, beyond the combined State and Federal government investment.
Batting cages at Regents Park will cost $1.1 million, changerooms at Lowe Oval $1.12 million, court replacement at Dauth Park $1.7 million and construction of Hammel Park Clubhouse $5.9 million.
The rise in rates is being attributed to increased costs and a booming population which has already tipped beyond 400,000 people.
Cr Raven said: “We’ve been listening to residents on what’s most important to them, which is why we’re making safe and reliable roads a priority.
“We can’t fund these projects alone, and ratepayers shouldn’t have to fit the bill, so we’ll continue to work hard to get more funding from other levels of government.”
Cr Raven has also been vocal in calling on developers to contribute more to infrastructure.
Just four years ago, council brought down its first billion-dollar budget – marking a sign of the city’s rapid growth.
“Logan is home to more than 400,000 people and we’re growing rapidly, so it’s important we prioritise the infrastructure and services our residents rely on every day,” Cr Raven said.
“This is a responsible budget that invests where our city needs it while keeping rates as low as we can.”
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Seriously this Council has no idea, they are happy to increase rates, spend big in stupid areas but under deliver in basic services.
No wonder there is an all time low in trust.