YARRA Ranges councillors will vote on a 5.7 percent rate increase at tonight's council meeting.
The council meeting will consider the draft budget for 2012-13.
Councillors were remaining tight lipped about the pending budget but Cr Len Cox did reveal to the Weekly that the carbon tax and landfill levy would add an extra 1.5percent to the rates, expected to increase by 4.2 percent.
To find out more about the council budget, and if the proposed rates rise was adopted, check our website tomorrow.
Cr Cox said the carbon tax and landfill levy reflected the increased costs associated with energy and waste disposal in the shire and across the state.
Tonight's council meeting agenda shows the council has allocated $27 million for capital works and $27 million for community infrastructure this year.
Cr Cox said he hoped $5 million of this would be allocated to the Kilsyth Living and Learning Centre for refurbishment works and funding set aside for the new netball courts in Pinks Reserve. "At the moment the netball courts in Mooroolbark are quite aged so we are hoping to see a state-of-the-art court for players in Kilsyth."
Cr Tim Heenan said he was satisfied with the budget but wanted to ensure that Morrison's Reserve, which missed out on funding from the state budget last week, was not overlooked again.
"When it is completed it will have lasting and positive results for all the young people in the shire, so that's going to be my project this year."
Cr Samantha Dunn deemed this year's budget as a "responsible outcome".
She said in the Lyster ward she wanted to see funding used to repair the Monbulk pool, sport pavilion in Belgrave South and the Lysterfield trail.
To find out more about the council budget, and if the proposed rates rise was adopted, check our website tomorrow.