State cash to ease budget

By Lia Bichel
CASEY council is relying on State Government funding to help keep its rate rise below 6 per cent.
City of Casey Mayor Shar Balmes said the budget was prepared with a rate rise of 5.95 per cent and with the expectation that the first $12 million would be received from the State Government’s pre-election commitment to contribute $24 million to the costs of remediation of the Stevensons Road Closed Landfill.
She said the budget adopted by the council last week for advertising included an additional rate rise of 0.86 per cent to meet the financing costs of the $12 million contribution that the council had anticipated would be provided by the State Government. This increases the advertised rate rise to 6.81 per cent.
“Further discussions are underway with representatives of the State Government seeking delivery of the Coalition’s pre-election commitment,” she said.
“Should that be realised, the 0.86 per cent additional rate rise would be removed when council adopts the budget and strikes a rate on 28 June 2011.”
Cr Balmes said she was confident the State Government would fulfill its promise, but if it did not commit the funding in time, she said Casey Council would have to reconsider the budget.
“In the outside possibility that the money wouldn’t come though, in that interim, we would have to look at how to recoup the $12 million,” Cr Balmes said.
Cr Balmes said she believed the budget would be a positive outcome for Casey residents.
“I think if you compare our rate rises as well as our input into infrastructure and capital workers, Casey residents are well off,” she said.
“Council officers have worked really hard to skim the fat off the budget and keep expenses down while being mindful of the economic climate.
“We want to take care of our residents and want to deliver as much positive outcomes, improved services, programs and capital works projects.”