10% RATE REDUCTION OR POSSIBLE RATE STRIKE
Warrnambool Ratepayers Association president Brian Kelson, a businessman in the city for 37 years and former Councillor, said rate increases were severely impacting residents and particularly the less well-off in the community.
He said business confidence was also being dampened in the city because of high rates and over-valuations.
Mr Kelson said unless there was a 10 per cent rate drop the association “may have no option other than to organise a rate strike”.
He said the association believed valuations did not truly reflect current property prices.
Mr Kelson said rates’ bills were too high.
“The WRA has been contacted by numerous ratepayers, who are suffering financial hardship, with some having to make the hard decision between paying their council rates or purchasing essential item, such as medicine and food, or seeing a doctor.
“If it’s good enough for workers to strike for better wages and conditions from employers it is good enough for ratepayers to strike for better performance and conditions from their council.
“Rate increases don’t result in better performance but fund council inefficiency.”
Mr Kelson said the WRA would like to see a staff freeze at the council to try and reduce the current 47 per cent of total expenditure being spent on salaries and also stated that now would be a good time for a forensic audit at Council prior to the new CEO being installed.
He said his group wanted greater efficiencies at council.
“Local rates policy is a fundamental responsibility of state government and is an important grassroots issue in the upcoming state election,” he said.
“The WRA also calls on all South West Coast candidates to declare their policy on council rates.”
Mr Kelson said he had received numerous calls from ratepayers doing it tough.
He said one ratepayer was slugged an extra 25 per cent but had done nothing to her property.
“That meant she had to pay $40 a week for rates while on a pension,” he said.
“She just can’t afford it. Since then I’ve received a flood of calls from people in the same position. The situation has been compounded by huge increases in utility bills.
“People are on a knife edge, their financial positions are not sustainable and some people face the prospect of having to sell their properties for nothing like their valuations and having to move out of Warrnambool.”
Mr Kelson said he believed valuations in Warrnambool were too high.
He said property prices across Australia were dropping but rates were not coming down.
“People have to ask the question why not? Only then will anything change,” he said.
The WRA president said he was prepared to work through the issues with the council but his group was not afraid to push for action among ratepayers.
“The threat of a strike is there and very, very real. We want to work through what can be done, but we’re not afraid to take the next step,” he said.
“Requesting a 10 per cent cut is extremely reasonable. Some valuations are ridiculous. It’s just very disheartening.”