Could council charge extra rates to shop owners who keep their rents so high they get no takers and the place remains empty?
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This is the latest proposal from the mayor, Mark Greenhill, in a bid to reverse the decline of "main streets" in many of the Mountains' villages.
"Councils don't have the power to levy rates - we get the revenue but don't have the power... Is there any way that we can be given [power] to increase rates and charges on shops that are vacant," he asked at last week's council meeting.
"Let's see what's possible and if it's possible for us to do something about it, let's investigate that."
Let's see what's possible and if it's possible for us to do something about it, let's investigate that.
- Cr Mark Greenhill
Cr Greenhill introduced a mayoral minute noting an increase in the number of empty shops in towns across the Mountains and that many businesses were reporting very high rents.
It also noted there is a concentration of landlords in the Mountains and some can get tax benefits from keeping shops empty.
The minute continued that council "investigates whether or not there is a mechanism whereby council can levy higher rates for premises where landlords do not adjust rents downward sufficient to allow businesses to occupy shops that have been vacant for more than six months".
The minute was backed by Liberal Cr Roza Sage, who for years rented premises for her dental practice.
"I support this. Having personal experience in Springwood - the rents were atrociously high."
And she said the only time the carpets were changed in 22 years was when the roof sprang a leak.
Cr Sage said such landlords were "not being very good citizens in our area".
Inner West council mayor, Darcy Byrne, raised a similar issue in 2022 but neither the then Perrottet government nor Labor supported it.
