RABY Bay ratepayers and canal estate owners have criticised Redland City Council's June budget as unfair.
The group said abolishing the convergence ratio, a method of keeping rates equity between the top and bottom ends of town, would penalise owners of high-valued land across the city.
Members also called for additional levies, such as canal levies, to be abolished and for the council to pay for all services using funds from general rates revenue.
This year, owners of properties in Raby Bay will pay a $2186 special charge for tidal works and $1105.10 for those with a marina berth. That revenue will be spent on works in Raby Bay.
Property owners in Aquatic Paradise will pay a special charge of $2662 and $3278 for a marina berth, while Sovereign Waters ratepayers will pay a $672 special charge.
Raby Bay ratepayer George Harris said property owners in Raby Bay should not have to pay extra levies and called for the council to fund all capital works projects using general rates.
"Canals are public-access, state-owned land, just like parks and roads, and should be funded out of general rates," Mr Harris said.
"And yet the residents who live on the canals are expected to fund the repairs of the canals over and above the huge contribution they pay to general rates.
"Raby Bay ratepayers are being taxed to pay for the council failure to supervise original construction in line with engineering standards of the day, on state government owned property."
Mr Harris said council should reinstate the use of banded tariffs which aimed to charge higher-valued properties at only three times more than the lowest-valued property.
Raby Bay pensioner Ray O'Donnell said it was difficult living on a pension in Raby Bay.
"Everyone gets the same pension regardless of where they live and for me it's very difficult as this council doesn't have a cap on rates policy for pensioners," he said.
Redland City chief executive Bill Lyon said the council spent time working with the Raby Bay Ratepayers' Association and engineering firms trying to find the cheapest way to maintain the canals.
He denied the council was taxing Raby Bay ratepayers for past wrongs.
"When the canal estates were designed they were to the best engineering standards at the time."
Redland mayor Karen Williams said it was fairer without the convergence ratio, which subsidised those living in properties with higher valuations.
Division 2 councillor Craig Ogilvie said he was concerned abolishing the policy would lead to rates for high-valued properties across the city spiralling to more than five times the minimum general rate.
Cr Ogilvie said the convergence ratio struck a balance between the capacity to pay and access to services principles and protected the asset rich, cashflow poor from being forced out of their home.
