23 January 2015

Rates; Pensioner Concessions

Councils have now been caught up in a funding argument between state and federal government regarding rate rebates for pensioners. These are $190 per eligible property and amount to $400,000 rate revenue  each year to Unley Council. It would seem that this is just another attempt to cost shift between levels of government with local government expected to bear the brunt once again.
While this matter has yet to be discussed by Council it will be considered as we develop the budget for 2015/16. Can Council afford to walk away from this amount of money? Or should Council raise everyone else's rates to cover the shortfall? This amount is about 1% of rate revenue.
Seems to me that this should be pushed back where it belongs and people should be asking the tough questions of both governments. I've already had a letter from Christopher Pyne to say it wasn't him but am yet to get any personal messages from members of the state government. Needless to say pensioners can not afford the increase and someone will have to pay.

6 comments:

  1. What do you mean by saying Christopher Pyne said it wasn't him.
    Surely he is a member of Cabinet and the governing body?
    May I ask WHO ELSE is running this country?

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  2. Ah! Just goes to show that no one know what they and each other are doing!
    Reminds me of my childhood days - NOT MEEEE!

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  3. Is Christopher Pyne distancing himself from the decision makers!
    I do hope he is seeing sense at last.

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  4. Is this another Federal "saving" by "withdrawing the buck" from the less wealthy?
    Why is Christopher Pyne mentioned? His electorate is NE Adelaide! He's Education Minister! He, or his office, can honestly respond, "...not me".
    Lateral thought. Re-assign the $200,000 for East Avenue works(???), to provide "a better path" for eligible pensioners in the Unley Council Area. That's half of the expected shortfall accounted for. Some creative accounting should be able to provide the rest. Peter A Hirst.

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  5. Christopher Pyne said an unsolicited letter to all Councillors absolving himself and his government from blame. Hence I mentioned him in the blog. Grant money is always tied to the actual project so can't be spent on anything else. We all need to put the pressure on the state government to provide the benefit, the balls in their court.

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  6. Christopher Pyne said an unsolicited letter to all Councillors absolving himself and his government from blame. Hence I mentioned him in the blog. Grant money is always tied to the actual project so can't be spent on anything else. We all need to put the pressure on the state government to provide the benefit, the balls in their court.

    ReplyDelete