Rates ‘mugging’ slammed

By Paul Pickering
THE Knox Ratepayers Association (KRA) says that Knox City Council does not care about the cost burden that its Long Term Financial Strategy (LTFS) places on ratepayers.
The KRA last week unveiled its official submission to the council on the draft LTFS, claiming that the document reflects Knox’s institutional disregard for controlling costs and delivering value to ratepayers.
KRA president Peter Baird labelled the plan “a disgrace” and “plain irresponsible”, condemning imminent rate hikes and the proposed infrastructure levy.
“In the past we have complained about Knox running a Rolls Royce council,” he said.
“We are in danger of moving to a gold plated, diamond encrusted Rolls Royce which the people of Knox simply cannot afford.”
The KRA said it would not accept the council’s assertion that the plan addressed constant community demand for new and better services, dismissing the rationale as “basically nonsense.”
“The average resident, given the chance to have either continuing growth in the level of services or restricted growth and lower rates would vote for lower rates every time,” the submission said.
While the KRA concedes in its submission that there is only passing mention of a new Performing Arts Centre for Knox, the council’s willingness to even consider such a project raised the ire of Mr Baird.
He said that if the council persisted with discussions, the KRA would run an information campaign to tell the community of the exorbitant costs involved.
“This fight will make the argument (last year) over waste disposal charges look like a tea party,” Mr Baird threatened.
Far from accepting the council’s claims about the transparency inherent in the LTFS, the KRA lamented Knox’s refusal to agree to an external examination of its costs and efficiency levels.
“The only time in the last few years when Knox has been run efficiently with the interests of the community put first is when the area was managed by commissioners,” Mr Baird claimed.
“Maybe it is time to return to independent, expert managers who could put council back on a path to sensible, affordable management.
“Somehow, some time, this annual mugging of the community has to stop,” he concluded.
Having defended its plan throughout the past month, the council was wary of being drawn by the KRA’s submission, preferring to wait until submissions are considered at a Committee of Council meeting on Tuesday, 15 May.
Instead, mayor Jim Penna chose to reiterate the main attributes of the LTFS. “It ensures council has the necessary funds to meet the needs of the community and also provides ratepayers with certainty and stability with their rates – something that was missing in the past,” Cr Penna said.
Submissions on the LTFS closed on Friday, 4 May.