Kiama / Shoalhaven Amalgamation :
Baird’s Bad Economics don’t add up
and cost us democracy and local input.
“What is now
absolutely clear to me is that Mikes math makes no sense” said Findley after
the meeting of Shoalhaven Council on Monday night.
“The State Government is like a python,
squeezing Council services to death with this year’s proposed rate increase of
1.3% which doesn’t even cover wage increases, running Shoalhaven Council down and
then forcing amalgamation on us regardless”.
“ I asked the General Manager what the
Shoalhaven expected to raise from its planned rate rises over the coming 4
years and was advised that it was
expected to net $21 million on current rates.”
“ At the
current level of Council operations - Shoalhaven City Council needs to raise $21million
to offer the current level of services and infrastructure.”
“That
$21million will not be raised under the State Governments amalgamation plan as
they will freeze rates and give Councils $10million as compensation.”
“Shoalhaven will be effectively in deficit
$11million after the amalgamation and Kiama is expected to have similar projections.”
“This
amalgamation isn’t about saving the ratepayer money; it’s about centralising
power with the Liberal party, making the Liberal party look good because it transferred
rate rises to future generations and removing representation from the community”
“With fewer
Councillors in the way, we can expect unsustainable development over
agricultural land and becoming another suburb of Shellharbour and corporate
developers will be championed.”
“The NSW State Liberal party are looking to
get a better return on their Princes Highway investment and this is how they
will achieve it – by throwing out Council’s and the respective Councillors that
get in their way and developers way.”
“The State
Government wants Shoalhaven and Kiama to amalgamate by 2016 /2017 and have
promised no rate increases. To achieve no increases the State Government
propose a rate freeze. When the freeze is finished we will have fewer services,
less infrastructure, more debt and require higher rates than ever before”.
“If anyone should be sacked it should be the
State Government for grossly misleading the community into thinking that its
amalgamation plan will save money in the long run when clearly it won’t!”
“The
Shoalhaven was declared Fit for the Future on scale and capacity meaning we are
already large enough. People already feel like they don’t get effective
representation and that will get worse under an amalgamated Council.”
“Kiama
ratepayers pay much more than the Shoalhaven and we do not want the rate burden
from these ratepayers transferred to our towns and villages that already
struggle.”
“The State
Government has left the North Coast alone. The North Coast has recently dumped
the Liberal party over Coal Seam Gas issue’s and elected The Greens, seems they
are concerned about further alienating themselves. ”
“The
Shoalhaven is traditionally a strong Liberal area and the State Government is
taking this support for granted and expect little kick back from our community
keeping their big corporate mates happy.”
"If
our community fail to have their say-then Mayor Gash will most likely get
behind the proposal as she has not ruled it out".
