ALBURY Council's projected general fund deficit for 2020-21 has blown out to $6.6 million following a string of last-minute responses to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Staff had forecast a deficit of $4.35 million in the lead-up to councillors debating the draft budget and accompanying measures to tackle the COVID-19 crisis which has impacted many levels of council's operations.
But in agreeing, in part, to raise a coronavirus-specific hardship package from $750,000 to $3 million, the projected deficit has increased to its highest level since 2011-12 when the original budget included a general fund operating deficit of $6.8 million.
"This is a once in a lifetime event, I hope, and requires an extraordinary level of commitment," Cr Darren Cameron said.
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He was prepared to forego a $40 decrease per property to the domestic waste charge to soften the blow of the increase, but ultimately supported its retention as part of a $4.2 million suite of stimulus and relief measures.
The waste charge reduction came at a $1 million cost with a further $1 million relief coming from no increase to water and waste water charges.
Cr Henk van de Ven successfully argued the $40 decrease be retained to offset the impact of a 2.6 per cent rate increase.
"I'm happy to put the $3 million in, but I'm not happy with $40 per property taken out," he said.
"I can't see 24,019 ratepayers applying and if they did we would be in a heap of trouble."
The 2.6 per cent rate rise represents an increase of $29 per year for the average home in Albury.
