By DANIELLE GALVIN
A RATES revolt campaign is starting up in the Cardinia shire – led by one outspoken Central Ward councillor.
Cr Collin Ross will lobby his fellow councillors in the lead-up to the budget next year to lower rates.
He will be visiting Emerald, Cockatoo and Gembrook in a bid to get 15,000 signatures and show his colleagues what he says residents want.
“Residents have appealed to me in despair at the excessive rate increases,” he said.
“Because I was elected to be residents’ strong voice on this issue, I will start a campaign and a petition to take it to council on behalf of residents to demand council lower rates.
“As I promised when I was elected, my goal is to see rate increases capped at the CPI plus one per cent extra as recommended by the Ratepayers Victoria.
“This would make rate increases more predictable and affordable.”
As cost of living pressures rise, Cr Ross said rates were one of the few things councillors could control and he was elected on the platform of lowering rates.
He rejected claims that rates capped at the CPI would mean kindergartens would have to be closed and important facilities wouldn’t be able to be built.
“You do it when you can afford it – whether it’s in stages or in a couple of years,” he said.
Mayor Brett Owen told the Mail it was the first time he had heard about the campaign.
He said the council was pro-actively reducing in percentage increase in the forecast budget.
“As a councillor I support the current budget because I am seeing much-needed infrastructure which is required for the local community and that is at a cost,” Cr Owen said.
“An important point to make is that you’re either cutting rates and no new infrastructure is a consequence of that.
“If you are to stop rate increases new infrastructure would be reduced and there would be consequences and (Cr Ross) needs to appreciate that.”
Cr Owen said he encouraged discussion around the budget and rates issues.
“I appreciate where his stance is but it is a complex issue and for a growing municipality it’s a balance of providing appropriate infrastructure for the community and rural community and balancing the rate increase,” he said.
A Facebook page will be launched in the coming weeks where residents can discuss the campaign called Rates Revolt Cardinia Shire.
