State Should Pay – Not Ratepayers

“THE ratepayers of the Upper Hunter Shire should be turning up to the Chamber and asking ‘where is the state government in all of this’?” said John Preston, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party.

“And ask why the Councillors are not kicking up a stink in Macquarie Street?” he said.

Mr Preston said it was utterly scandalous that ratepayers in the Upper Hunter Shire may have their rates increased by 20 percent to fund the revitalisation of their main streets, instead he believes the state government should use some of the $1.5 billion in royalties it makes from coal and it should come from the Restart NSW fund.

“If you look at the Councils which have applied for special rate variations this year only two are from Sydney and the rest of the 17 are all regional areas, that says everything,” said Mr Preston.

“All the money is being spent in Sydney, in fact if you are a pensioner in the City of Sydney Council you don’t actually have to even pay rates and charges, but because of the bypass ratepayers in the Upper Hunter Shire are expected to pay an extra 20 percent in their rates to do up their streets

“There is no question the state government should be funding these projects because we get exploited by treasury with such meagre amounts of money coming back,” he said.

“The amount of funding that we need is incredibly modest, it wouldn’t even add up to the petty cash tins at WestConnex,” he said.

“All of the costs are to the upper hunter and all of the benefits go to Sydney.

“When you look at the map of where the money is being spent $205 million in areas like Dubbo, which violently reacted at the nationals and they are now pork barreling them, but the Hunter gets nothing,” he said.

“No question the ratepayers should not pay for this, the state government should,” John Preston said.

Related stories:

• Rates – There Are Other Options – February 8, 2018.
• Editorial: Rate Variation Circus – January 30, 2018.
• Council Apply to Increase Rates – January 30, 2018.