Horsham Rural City Council mayor Mark Radford said the coronavirus pandemic forced council to drastically overhaul its 2020-21 draft budget, potentially his final as mayor and councillor.
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Cr Radford, a 12-year council veteran, said he will make a final decision on whether or not he will continue as mayor and councillor in September.
"I am going to do the new councillor training and make a final decision," he said.
"There is a voice that says to me 12 years is enough, but I believe it is important existing councillors keep going if they can."
Cr Radford said the abrupt closure of services and revenue streams for council "fell out of the sky".
READ MORE: COUNCIL DRAFT BUDGET 2020/21
"The Town Hall, aquatic centre and library closing are some of the services directly impacted."
"All of these closures make a dint in council revenue."
General rates notices in Horsham will rise by an average of two per cent in the 2020-21 financial year, in line with the Fair Go Rates System.
Rates rose 2.5 per cent last financial year.
Horsham Rural City Council said the increased revenue from rates, about $484,000, will be allocated to providing a support program to target COVID-19 impacted businesses and the community.
Cr Radford said nobody liked paying higher rates, but this year, community and business groups would benefit.
"One council that hasn't taken the two per cent rise has instead increased its borrowings by a large amount," Cr Radford said.
"We don't want to go there."
2020-21 is the second year of an annual revaluation process, as opposed to biennial valuations.
Rates valuations would be as per the General Revaluation, dated January 1, 2020.
The final value for an individual property will depend on individual property value movements, relative to others in the municipality.
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Council said that residential property valuations have risen 2.95 per cent and farm valuations have increased 4.4 per cent.
Including industrial and commercial properties, the total value of land has spiked 3.22 per cent.
Ratepayers can object to the Valuer General if they believe their valuation to be incorrect.
Individual rate notices would be affected by the council's two per cent increase, the change in individual property value and a reduction in the Municipal Charge from $280 to $274.
In all, the total amount to be raised by general rates will increase 3.28 per cent across the municipality.
Submissions on the proposed budget should be made in writing to the chief executive officer before 5pm on Tuesday, July 7, 2020.