By NICOLE VALICEK
HOBSONS Bay residents may have to brace themselves for a potential rate increase of up to 10 per cent in the upcoming budget.
Hobsons Bay City Council mayor Angela Altair stressed there will be two big ticket items in the annual budget for 2013/2014 due to be released in draft form later this month.
A mandatory State Government fire service levy will be added to the bill charge that the council has been ordered to collect from ratepayers.
This will impact the budget and the budgets of all the councils across Victoria.
Cr Altair stressed the importance of keeping residents informed.
“The government agreed to give us some extra money to help manage (what will be) a big imposition on peoples rates,” Cr Altair said.
“It’s going to be an important role of ours to explain to people we have no say we are merely the collection agents.”
Cr Altair likened the new levy charge to a property tax which will mean every single household has to pay $180 or more.
Although this levy will appear on rates notices, it is not a council charge for the council services.
It replaces the existing fire services levy charged by insurance companies in your home insurance premiums.
Cr Altair said the second big ticket item was an $18 million superannuation short fall that the council has been ordered to pay by 1 July.
“We’re grappling whether we borrow or a pay lump sum. (It is) a big black hole we have to fill through no fault of our own.”
“$18 million would fix a lot of pot holes.”
Cr Altair said the council also want to focus on maintaining important infrastructure like roads and footpaths, up-keep of parks and mainlining and building new facilities. She said the budget will be a fair document that balanced the needs and priorities of people across the city.
“Our job is to make sure we spend every dollar we collect from people’s pockets in a responsible way.”
“The council is still working on the budget and we will make sure whatever the budget is and what the rate struck is it will be as fair and reasonable as possible.”
Hobsons Bay Residents Association spokesperson Colin Palmer said the group want to see a budget that ensures rates are affordable with no rate increase beyond inflation with cost kept low, especially in council staffing levels.
“Services for families, youth, the elderly, and people with disabilities must also continue,” Mr Palmer said.
He said the group want to see the improvements to roads, footpaths, drainage and reserves and funding to implement master-plans such as the Altona sports precinct, Comben Reserve and Cherry Lake.
They also want budget funding allocated for the Altona and Seaholme foreshore and improvements to the local shopping precincts.
Save Williamstown spokesman Godrey Moase said the group would like to see a transformation of the budget process.
“There’s no reason why we can’t have direct democracy in allocating the budget from year to year,” Mr Moase said.
He suggested a trial program where one ward and the community has the capacity to have a direct say on how to spend a small portion of the budget.
“You would get better policy outcome, more community engaged, and richer and deeper democratic traditions,” he said.
