Dearer city parking keeps lid on rate rise By Jewel Topsfield and Royce Millar May 3, 2005
A 25 per cent lift in parking meter fees will help the Melbourne City Council limit rate rises to about 3 per cent next financial year.
A controversial $43 million contribution to the Southbank convention centre and $32 million to the Commonwealth Games have put pressure on council coffers, forcing it to cut capital projects.
But the council's finance committee chairman, Brian Shanahan, said an extra $5 million from the meters would prevent a big rate rise. The cost of an hour's parking in city centre bays will rise from $2.40 to $3.
"Sydney charges over $4 an hour for parking bays in the CBD," Cr Shanahan said. "It's not excessive in those terms, it's a way of raising revenue that takes the pressure off the rates."
But Cr Peter Clarke, a member of the Liberal Party, said it was "like saying personal tax hasn't risen, we've just increased fringe benefits tax".
The 2005-06 budget, to be voted on next month, is likely to deliver a surplus of about $2 million, down from $6 million.
Cr Clarke said the city was spending too much subsidising State Government projects.
And he said it should have stuck with its original resolve to cap Games spending at $23 million. "People get carried away with the Commonwealth Games and glamour projects while expenditure on basic cleanliness around the city and the marketing of Melbourne is being lost," he said.