The council painted a bleak picture in its long-term plan, saying even after the hefty rate rise last year its books still did not balance.
The long-term plan, which will cover the next nine years of council spending in the district, will be discussed at a council meeting on Tuesday.
Rates have been a hot topic around the district for years, with the 21.4% increase in 2024 leading to widespread frustration and community activism.
In the plan, three options were put forward for ratepayers for the upcoming year.
The highest increase would be 24.25% for 2026, with the other possible increases as low as 9.9% and 12.25%.
The latter two options meant the council would continue to accrue debt to pay for operational and capital costs for a number of years.
All potential options would lead to a dramatically lower rate increase by 2034, albeit with more debt on the books accounting for the loss of revenue in the short term.
Gore District Council chief executive Debbie Lascelles said in a report to the council meeting, Gore was not out of the woods yet, with the council trying to find a compromise between keeping rates manageable but the lights on in the District.
In her report Mrs Lascelles pointed out the headwinds faced by the council.
By the end of 2023, the cumulative impact of civil inflation was tracking 21% above the expected trend.
Operating costs had risen a cumulative 19% between 2020 and the end of 2023 as increases in depreciation and interest rates have impacted on council’s operating costs.
Rate rises between 2020-23 did not keep pace with these increases.
Nearly 90% of services provided by the council had to be carried out through legislation so could not be cut.
The community did not want to cut any services as that was part of the attraction of living in Gore.
Recycling was legislatively required to be introduced and could only be delayed by one more year.
The waste levy had increased, maintenance costs had gone up across the board and delaying them was just moving it down the road.
Insurances, legal costs, materials, chemicals and everyday office consumables had gone up across the organisation.
Depreciation and interest costs were still going up.
Fully funding depreciation of Three Waters assets was now legally required by 2028.
Staff salaries had not kept pace with local government benchmarks.
IT needed an overhaul as the system was at the end of its life.
There were no new projects or initiatives in the plan as the council runs in the red, however Mrs Lascelles wrote the focus was on planning, strategy, and maintaining infrastructure.
The sale of assets was also brought up the plan.
Proceeds would help manage debt and reduce expenses associated with maintenance.
Also put forth was the potential canning of the running and funding of events in Gore.
Events like the Santa Parade would be cancelled, with the Council estimating a rate reduction of just around 1% which would give the average household around 95c per week.
