This week, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council put forward three options to residents to solve its financial problems. The most expensive: a 28 per cent increase in rates in one year.
The NSW council has been struggling with its finances for years and says the recent flooding, as well as COVID-19, has made things worse.
And it says if residents don't pay more, there is no choice but to cut a number of services to the community.
But Queanbeyan-Palerang is not alone, with neighbouring council areas also proposing significant increases this year.
The Bega Valley Shire Council has suggested a steep 90 per cent jump in rates.
So, what's brought this on, how will it affect people, and how do these numbers compare to their nearest big metropolitan area, the ACT?
Roads, pools among services affected if rates don't rise: council
Queanbeyan-Palerang Major Kenrick Winchester says a change to rates is needed to address the "very concerning position" the council is in.
"We brought in an internal auditor and they've come back with their reports that basically say unless we look at raising rates above the right peg, council is in a very concerning position, where we will potentially need to drastically reduce the services we provide," Mr Winchester said.
"So we're going to start a conversation with the community over the next two months about a couple of different scenarios, one of which will include increasing rates by approximately 28 per cent in the first year."
Under the proposal, a further increase of 25 per cent would be introduced in the second year and a 23 per cent increase in the third.
The other options put forward by the council, include a rates increase of 12 per cent, which would mean a significant reduction in services to residents, or an increase of 18 per cent, which would ensure only core services were maintained.
Mr Winchester said that if residents responded to the proposal by saying they did not want the 28 per cent increase, services that would be affected included pools and roads.
Pools are costly community facilities and Mr Winchester said they might have to be closed if a lesser rates increase was introduced, while roads would be graded less often.
He said it was his view that the state or federal governments needed to step in to rescue NSW councils, and in an ongoing capacity.
"One-off sugar hits won't do it — we need the federal government to commit to increasing the financial assistance grants to one per cent," he said.
Wet weather adding to council costs
Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society lecturer Michael De Percy said Queanbeyan-Palerang's finances were already in a dire state when it was amalgamated six years ago.
Since then, its problems have only worsened.
"There's a number of different factors — inflation is one, the other of course is the cost of materials," Dr De Percy said.
"But the biggest problem at the moment is certainly road maintenance."
He said chronic wet weather had caused significant damage to the state's roads, causing mayhem and inflicting costly bills on councils.
Dr De Percy said it was not just the Queanbeyan area that was dealing with that issue.
"To drive from Gunning to Canberra, a conventional vehicle won't make it to Canberra now, the road is that bad," he said.
Towns and cities paying less
Dr De Percy said NSW councils were facing an impossible situation, and that those in regional areas were paying more for less.
Recent flooding had only added to the issues, especially in Gunning, which was badly affected earlier this month.
"If you look at Gundaroo for instance, you're looking at Canberra prices almost for housing there, but they have no sewerage and no water — you have to basically have a septic tank and buy your own water in, but their rates are similar to Queanbeyan" he said.
Meanwhile, while Canberrans on average pay more than those over the border, they also have access to better services and own properties with a higher land value.
In Queanbeyan, the average annual general rates bill for residential properties is $1,348.
The average house owner in the ACT pays $3,070 annually, while townhouse and unit owners pay $1,854.
But Dr De Percy said Canberrans also earnt more on average than residents in regional NSW, which made their higher rates viable.
Local Government NSW president Darriea Turley said that NSW councils were in an "unsustainable" situation.
"Unfortunately, this is an issue facing councils across the state," Mr Turley said.
"Financial sustainability remains the major factor facing local governments, and that's evidenced by the crippling infrastructure maintenance, and the renewal backlog."
She said action needed to be taken by the state government.
"We really want to make sure that we deliver better services, but we're stifled on how we do that," she said.
