Letter to the Editor: Where does one start when discussing the decision making of this Council??

Where does one start when discussing the decision making of this Council??

  1. Debt budgeted to rise from $22M as of 30/6/15 to $47M within 12 months.
  2. Spend $9M on the Abraham Street Bridge contract (approximately ½ ratepayers funds) for a bridge that achieves nothing more than is already being accommodated less than 1200 metres away by the Highbury Street Bridger adjacent to John Willcock College. Ratepayers I suggest you check my statement out and judge for yourself – drive south to the end of Abraham Street (that’s the street on the West side of the cemetery) and ask yourself who would spend their own money on such a useless project.
  3. Did you know that Council are paying an out of town contractor $755,000 over and above the price tendered on the Multi User Facility because they didn’t understand the difference between GST inclusive and exclusive?
  4. This Council is the highest rating Council in the State based on the same gross rental value (GRV) property i.e. compare a $20,000 GRV property in Geraldton and the same GRV property anywhere else in WA and we are the dearest. The Mayor and CEO gloss the facts by patting themselves on the back with this year’s 3.9% rate rise but conveniently forget to mention the 27.19% rate rise in 2012 that is still compounding forward for you to pay.

Ratepayers we need to wake up to how we’re being treated and elect some new Councillors who have the welfare of ratepayers at heart.

Your opportunity to become involved in the election of new Councillors will happen in October when 7 Council and the Mayoral position are up for election.

Nominations for the beforementioned positions open on 3rd September. Watch this space for further information on Council blunders that have cost you and I millions of dollars over the past year or so.

 

Max Correy
Concerned Ratepayer