Friday,
July 25, 2008
Media
Release
State
Government May Pass on Charges of $345 Per Year to Each Rate Payer
It could cost average
ratepayers up $345 each per year if Labor wins back control of Randwick City
Council in September.
Greens Deputy Mayor Murray
Matson warns that the State Government may be tempted to pass on to Councils up
to $16 million dollars in expenses that it currently meets.
Cr Matson claims that a
Labor led Council would not have the political will to oppose the State
Government.
He said,
"IPART is currently
asking for submissions on a range of local government revenue and expenditure
issues.
There is real concern in
local government circles that the state government may respond to IPART's final
recommendations by passing on payroll tax and fire levy charges to Councils.
Currently we pay no pay
roll tax and only 12.3% of the fire levy.
In Randwick's case, this
could mean that we will have to cover new payroll taxes of $2 million and
additional fire levy charges of $14 million.
That will hit the average
ratepayer $345 each per year in decreased Council services.
I doubt that a Labor
controlled Council will be prepared to campaign strongly against the Government
on this issue."
Contact Greens Deputy Mayor
Murray Matson
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"IPART Investigation
issues.
http://www.ipart.nsw.gov.au/files/Revenue%20Framework%20for%20Local%20Government%20-%20Issues%20Paper%20-%20July%202008%20-%20APD%20Website.PDF