After a marathon eight-hour sitting yesterday, the Cromwell Community Board halved the rates rise for the ward.
The board trimmed its budget to finish instead with an 8.3% increase.
Board chairman Neil Gillespie said the ward component made up roughly half of the rates bill.
The district component had yet to be decided, so it was difficult to make a prediction about the overall effect on ratepayers.
At the start of the meeting, the board was faced with a 17.4% increase in the ward rates.
Central Otago District Council's corporate services manager Susan Finlay said staff had been through the budgets "and we haven't been able to chop anything else out of it, so it's over to you now".
Board members said a 17% increase was unacceptable.
"Those of us whose jobs are secure are OK, but there's people out there, home owners, who are really struggling to survive, and this could be the straw that breaks the camel's back," Glen Christiansen said.
Nigel McKinlay said there was "no way" he could support a 17% rates increase.
Mr Gillespie said the budget for the ward was not a wish list.
"There's nothing extra in there, it's just the budget to maintain the level of service we currently have."
The sum of $10,000 had been set down for repairs and maintenance to the Cromwell pool, but district aquatic centres manager Gary Easthope said it was going to cost $40,000 to properly strip the paint and probably $20,000 to repaint it.
Board members debated whether to increase the cost of admission to cover rises in maintaining the pool but decided to leave the fees at the current level.
Mr McKinlay was concerned admission prices were low compared with other rural pool facilities.
"Are we selling ourselves too cheaply?" he asked.
"Cromwell appears to have a Rolls-Royce service, so are we undercharging?" Mr Easthope said there would be a backlash from the community if prices were increased, which might reduce patronage.
The district council's four community boards make recommendations to the council about budgets for the services, assets and amenities in their respective wards, which have an effect on the ward portion of the rates.
The Maniototo board set its budgets last week and voted for a draft ward rates rise of 5%.
The Vincent board will consider its estimates today.
The Roxburgh board meets next week to decide on rates.
The public can make submissions on the planned spending before the rates are formally adopted in June.
