Mayoral and councillor candidate Adam Roberts has laid down a challenge to fellow candidates to come up with suggestions on how they tackle the impost of the carbon tax on Port Macquarie Hastings Council.
“The subject of sound financial management is one of the key issues facing the incoming council,” he said.
“My research shows that council is facing a huge increase in expenses to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year just for the carbon tax alone.
“Whether you agree with having the carbon tax or not, and I don’t, the reality is that it’s here and it’s already costing us plenty. Council now has to find this money in an already tight budget.
“By their own admissions, we have many candidates running for our council who are in full support of having a carbon tax and are happy to see it implemented. The question is, as a councillor, where will we find the money to pay for it?
“Are we going to take the money out of the roads budget and fall further behind?
“Our local residents are paying for the carbon tax in every day life, through the recent rate pegging allowance and now possibly through reduced services if we can’t come up with an arrangement to offset the costs.
“I’d be lobbying the federal government through our local member for a full offset on the increased costs or to make local government exempt — it’s that simple.
“How will the potential councillors deal with the scenario? Let’s hear from them before election day.”
