Zero rate rise is achievable

A zero rate rise in the Baw Baw Shire Budget is challenging but necessary and achievable.

In this, the year of the pandemic surely it is not too much of an ambitious goal.

The impact of the virus has resulted in residents having to adjust to altering circumstances. It is not unreasonable to expect council to reduce the “quantum of rates” in order to achieve the zero rise and thereby support residents in managing the changes brought about by the pandemic.

The draft budget show that the capital improved valuations for this 20/21 year across the shire has increased by 2.9 per cent and it must also be emphasised that revaluations are carried out on an annual basis. The reconciled comprehensive income statement details that the budgeted rate revenue will increase by $4.3 per cent; there has been a reduction in supplementary rate adjustments to $500,000 with interest on rates and waste charges being $85,000.

The Gazette Facebook Forum shows that most of the contributors support a zero rate rise and if necessary, a reduced Capital Works Program. The Baw Baw Ratepayers Association also has written to the chief executive advocating for the rates to be frozen.

Much of the rating strategy is underpinned by State Government legislation. However there is a report on a review into the Local Government Rating System in Victoria which began in 2019; this report is on the minister’s desk.

This report details a range of rating concerns and difficulties experienced across the state; among which are the difficult impact of the higher valuation on properties leading to the calculation of rates and other taxes/levies. As well the report details a disconnect exists between the expense, namely rates, and income received by property owners.

I would suggest that the rate in the dollar used to calculate the Base Rate be further reduced to 0.0032c and then carried across the different categories. This will result in a reduction of rate revenue of $1m.

The challenges faced by the community and the challenge for council to freeze the level of rates to that of last year, 2019/20, demonstrates clearly that “We are all in this together”

Further the loss of income ($1m) surely can and must be spread across a budget with an income (including non-monetary) of $98m. This loss can be off-set by the deferral of Works and a level of savings in expenditures.

The strategy states that council is mindful of the impacts of the revaluations of properties and must ensure that “rises and falls in Council rates remain affordable and rating shocks are mitigated to some degree.”

Kerry Elliott, Warragul

Medical upgrade

What do the people of the Baw Baw Shire, and surrounds, need to do for the local, state and federal government to take notice and see that our medical facilities desperately need an upgrade?

The current hospital is simply not big enough to accommodate the large daily in-take of patients. The area that it services is expansive and the shire is growing rapidly.

In the current pandemic there is extra stress on these facilities and the staff, however, in my opinion the experience that my 99-year-old gGrandfather suffered on Friday is simply not acceptable.

He resides at Cooinda, which is located at the West Gippsland Hospital, and had a fall at 11am on Friday morning. We left him in his bed at 8pm Friday evening, with still no treatment.

He had waited all day, with a suspected shoulder injury, to be told that the ED had no beds to enable him to get the required CT scan and Xray. I went back to the ED once he was admitted around 8.30pm, and it took a further three hours to get the appropriate tests.

After which we waited until around 2am

Saturday morning for the results. He was tucked back in his bed at Cooinda after treatment at 3.30m - a total of 16 plus hours after his incident.

The staff at the West Gippsland Hospital are all very attentive and caring- but they are working with extremely limited resources. Help them to help us.

What needs to happen to get traction on this?- after many years of groups lobbying, with little improvement.

Jo Ferguson, Warragul