Voice of Byron regular, Diane Woods, shared the benefit of her years on Byron Shire Council regarding the subject of a rates increase.
Diane says, “It is with interest I watch the feeble attempt by Paul Spooner to discredit the Greens Mayor over the planned rate rise for Byron Shire.
“During my terms on Council with both Spooner and Richardson, they were both on the same page on nearly 95% of the issues, and it is a smokescreen.
“Rates will have to rise, to pay for the deteriorating infrastructure. Spooner is correct that it has crumbled under many years of green majorities. Objections to rate paying development have not helped.
“Businesses should not be slugged any more as they are the lifeblood of employment, and already contribute more in rates.
“What Byron Shire needs is more houses being constructed, so that more rates can be collected, and development fees as well, to help pay for improved infrastructure.
“Don’t do Gold Coast-type of development, but sustainable development which is appropriate to Byron’s unique environment.
“Keep opposing it and the only other way to get enough funds to pay for infrastructure repairs, renewal and stay fit for the future is to continue to raise rates.
Diane Woods, as usual, has no understanding of finance. Doh! If the rates collected now aren’t sufficient to service the infrastructure needs, then they’ll be even less sufficient when there’s more houses.
I totally agree with Dianne Woods, The Long Succession of Green Councils has lead us to the edge of Amalgamation, and the threat of an Administrator for Council due to the constant blocking of DAs in the past. Great dreams of little self sufficient houses clustered tight on household blocks is leading us into tighter and tighter neighbourhoods. More cars per house, More rentals and less locals.
Open up some land and have a ballot system for working families within a certain income range and children, No developers, No social welfare blocks. Just young families that need a start that will care about their local area and have some Civic pride. That is what is missing in this Shire Civic Pride for the area we live in.
The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) has passed its report on Rates Review to the Minister in December. The draft of that report is on the web under ‘Milestones’. It looks at alternative ways of rating and indeed broadening the base. One area that certainly needs to be considered is amending the Local Government Act to allow Councils to impose a Tourist Levy. Remember, the bigger picture is that most local Councils are facing the same problem as Byron, particuarly those in coastal areas. Personally, I would like Councillors to take the IPART 1.5% pegged rate for the coming year 2017/2018 This would give time for a Ministerial response to the IPART report and at the same time keep the base on which rates can expect to increase 2018/2019 lower. In the meantime, readers may like to check the LGA s555 and s556 and look at properties that are exempt from rates. Maybe, just maybe those exemption days have finished?
Oh gawd. Save us?