Yarra Ranges urged to rethink rates rise | Maroondah & Yarra Ranges Weekly:
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Cr Andy Witlox said: ‘‘We're not growing; we have a population growth of zero.’’
This is so true: we need an injection of population in the shire. I have been saying this for more than a decade and have suggested that the urban growth boundary around Coldstream be expanded. Coldstream has a primary school, sport club, CFA and a supermarket that could do with an influx of people and ratepayers.
The size of Coldstream could double without much council expense but could see more than 1000 more properties pay rates.
'via Blog this'
5 comments:
Hi Mario, One question I'd like to ask is whether the State Government pays any rates on all that Crown Land it owns which makes up anything up to 50 or maybe 70% of all the land under management of the Shire of Yarra Ranges and does the Lilydale Cemetery Trust pay any rates to help share the burden with the rest of us especially as it the most costly land to buy in the shire.?
And futher why are not the grass and tree growers which produce oxygen in the Shire able to get a share of the federal govt Carbon Tax collections paid by people who emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere? It would seem only fair imo to be entitled to a return on our oxygen production farming systems dont you think?
Cr Witlox could send a copy of the budget papers to me or you Mario and I'm sure between us we could find lots of money saving budget cuts so that we not only get a Rates freeze but a rate drop.
The only service most of us get is a rubbish collection so any other drop off in services which are not paid for from direct grants from State or Federal taxes could easily be cut out and save ratepayers $millions.
In my opinion I do believe Cr Witlox and maybe a few more Crs need to go to a budget school at McKinseys or maybe work with a Liquidators firm to learn a bit more about real cost cutting.
And further It is time some of the Shires and Councills merged some of their computer systems and other staff services to help reduce costs as would some sharing of office space instead of sppending money on new office block empires for staff who would be better working from home imo, but monitored by supervisors from a small central office if supervision is really an issue. Councils are not embracing all the new communication systems avail these days to help increase productivity by any great advantage. We might need to have a firm like McKinseys to come in to speed things up...imo.
There are many various means to reduce costs but Council staff and Councillors may just not be experienced or trained enough to do anything or have any motivation or power to change anything. We might as well not have Councillors who imo are only there to make us Ratepayers think we have a democratic say in local affairs when the reverse appears to be the case. CEO's could very easily lead the administration of Councils more efficiently than with representatives creating distractions. Contrary views encouraged.
Just another idea, why not get the Land Tax office contracted to collect the rates function and save on a Rates Department altogether?
One computer system to collect for all the Councils is a great money saving idea and saves on duplication multiplied by all of the other councils and Shires dont you think?
Now why cant the Council CEO's think of these simple ideas? Ratepayers are already looking down the barrel of paying extra Superannuation levy on all staff from 9 % going up 33.33% up to 12% approved by both major parties but no one of them are suggesting how to cut costs are thery...so who pays...we do...we suffer because everyone thinks politics has to be dirty business full of fraud and self interest and can't be changed. Who says council cant become more efficient and cut down on expensive labor and on-costs?
We have a Liberal Government here now who cant even get the new proposed Planning Scheme through the parliament due to its slim majority ...just waiting till it loses its majority but big developers are getting special privileges and permitted to build multi story apartment complexes on a case by case basis. Why is it so? Yet I cant build a simple garage without going thru hoops and more BS? Why? I could suggest some reasons but wont to avoid defamation.
Hi There. I agree there are $millions of savings to be found in the council budget. You can obtain a copy of the budget from the council website. I'd like to hear more of your suggestions. I invite you to post them on my website:
www.facebook.com/chirnsideparkcommunity
Also, thanks for your suggestion that I should go to budget school, but I've already been. I think all councillors should go. Cheers. Cr Andy Witlox.
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