Held hostage

I WRITE in reference to the recent statement made by former Casey mayor, Councillor Amanda Stapledon in relation to Casey’s rates for the 2014-’15 financial year.
Cr Stapledon is reported to have said that “Casey continues to have the second lowest rates per capita in outer metropolitan Melbourne.” (News, 28 August, page 9, 2014.)
I believe this is a very misleading statement from Cr Stapledon. In fact, council rates in Casey, Cr Stapledon, remain higher than the average rates increase across all Victorian municipalities.
This financial year the average municipal rate rise was around 4.23 per cent according to MAV President, Bill McArthur. So even after adjusting Casey’s rates for the carbon tax repeal, Casey’s rates increase of 5.9 per cent is still higher than the average rates rise.
A reduction of 0.4 per cent in our rates will be of little assistance to residents living under the negative impact of both federal and state government austerity budgets.
I stand by my submission to Casey’s Special Budget meeting this year. Council did not have to increase our rates to anywhere 6.3 per cent or 5.9 per cent. Casey Council always has options with its programs.
Ratepayers in Casey,it seems clear, are really being held hostage to the political ambitions of some Casey councillors.
John Glazebrook,
Endeavour Hills.