BEN is a nurse. He works night shift.
But he hasn’t been able to get to sleep after seeing the increase in his shire’s rates notice which arrived on the kitchen table on Thursday.
“I’m in shock. $300 extra for what,” said Ben Shields of Korumburra.
“What extra services do we get? They don’t grade the road. They don’t pick up our rubbish. What do they do? Where does the money go?
“It’s lucky I’ve picked up another shift.”
Most people can’t pick up another shift, however, and whether it’s $100, $200, $300 or more extra the shire is taking this year; it’s hard to find that sort of money on a tight budget.
“My rates have gone up by $600 in two years. It’s simply not sustainable.”
The South Gippsland Shire admits that it has been avalanched with calls in the past few days but it amounts to delayed shock. The shire council actually set the rates back in July 22, 2015. The headline increase was listed at 4.9% but the shire is actually collecting 6.9% more in total rates and charges.
What do they do with the money? Take a look at the shire’s sexy new website. That probably accounted for a fair slab of the increase!
The Shire is a bloated den of thieves and a cesspool of competence. They should all be sacked.
My home is Nyora, on 2 acres. No footpaths, no street lighting, unmade dirt road full of potholes, rarely graded. No clean up of roadside foliage growth and my rates are $3,123.00 gone up from $2,758.00.
What the dickens for such a gross amount of extortion? Its plainly overdue to sack some of these Councillors, cut our paying child minding facilities and other services individuals should provide for themselves. Get down to provide the essential services. This council is ripping South Gippsland residents off and its enough to make me consider standing for election with a few other sound thinking concerned citizens.