Hill-Lewis says CoCT's tariff proposals will be eased when budget goes to council

CAPE TOWN - Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has promised residents a significant softening of the tariff proposals when its budget goes to the full council on Thursday.

A draft budget tabled by the city in March raised widespread concern with proposals for some homeowners to pay up to 40% more for municipal bills.

Hill-Lewis said the city has reworked its budget after listening to residents' concerns.

He said the city has made significant changes to its budget since it was tabled in March.

Hill-Lewis says the changes will particularly benefit upper-to-middle class homes in the R3-million to R7-million bracket, which were feeling the brunt of the city's initial proposals.

"We've softened the proposals. The budget always protected the lower value homes the most. So, homes under R2.5-million in value are getting very, very low increases indeed."

The mayor explained why high value homes are getting relatively larger increases: "Keep in mind, all of those are to fund the enormous infrastructure investments that we are making in the city."

Hill-Lewis said the rates increases will also fund the salaries of more than 700 extra metro police officers deployed in Cape Town.