See how Murray Bridge’s council rate review could affect you
Try our calculator and see if you'd be better or worse off under the proposed changes.
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Every year, the Murray Bridge council collects tens of millions of dollars worth of property rates from local land owners.
How should the bill be divided up?
That’s the question facing local residents this summer as the council seeks feedback on some proposed changes to its rating policy.
Your rates bill is based on the value of the property you own: a home, your business premises, any investment properties or vacant blocks.
The council doesn’t plan to change that, and it’s not asking whether ratepayers would like lower rates, either – of course you would.
But, as Murray Bridge News reported last month, it is thinking of tinkering around the edges.
It might change the differential rate, which means that the owners of different types of property pay more or less than homeowners.
Or it might introduce a fixed charge, meaning that part of your annual rates bill would be fixed from year to year, and only part would be variable.
Got your head around that?
Here are the four options on the table:
- Keep things as they are, with a minimum rates bill of $1152
- Change the differential rate so that vacant land owners pay a bit more and industrial, commercial and farming land owners pay a bit less; then increase council rates by about four per cent across the board
- Decrease council rates by about 24%, but add on a fixed charge of $750
- Decrease council rates by about 14%, but add on a fixed charge of $500
In effect, option two would offer relief to farmers and business owners, while everyone else would pay slightly more – around $100 at current Murray Bridge house prices.
Options three and four would give relief to the owners of the most valuable properties, including farms, high-end homes and large industrial premises; but again, most others would pay a little more.
If you’re a homeowner, try the calculator below to see which option would produce the best result for you.
If you own industrial, commercial or primary production land, of course, options two to four will reduce your bill for those properties.
Council CEO Heather Barclay said it was important that locals had a chance to help the council decide how it collected rates.
“Given the significant growth in property valuations, shifts in land use types and the evolving needs of our region, it’s important to start a conversation with the community to explore the options and gather feedback,” she said.
A drop-in session was held at Murray Bridge Library this Wednesday afternoon, and another will be held on January 13.
Councillors will take public feedback into account before they draft the council’s 2025-26 budget in the first half of next year.
- More information: Visit letstalk.murraybridge.sa.gov.au/rating-review or attend the drop-in session at Murray Bridge Library from 10am-12pm on January 13.
- Have your say: Fill in the survey at letstalk.murraybridge.sa.gov.au/rating-review or email council@murraybridge.sa.gov.au before 5pm on January 15.
- Read more: Council rates plan may give farmers relief at others’ expense
