Council rates are a system of taxation, much like income tax and GST, and council determines how and where they are spent.
Rates are not a fee for service, so the amount of rates paid by a person may not directly relate to the services they use. People may not use all of council’s services all of the time, but they are there for everyone in the community when needed.
The range of programs and services councils provided to the community, and the infrastructure requirements, differ from council to council.
