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Reduce Residential Rates
The cost of housing is very high and under pressure. People are under great pressure and affordable housing is a major issue. To continue to raise rates is not the answer. It hurts pensioners, tenants young home owners, and most households. Residential rates can be cut by 25% by reducing the Councills operating costs by about $12m.
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Comment 1 29 Apr 2008, 1:36 PM
Why only 25% reduction Bigfella? there is much more to be saved.
Comment 1.1 29 Apr 2008, 1:39 PM
Matt, the system wont give the opportunity to give a tick to bigfella's comment. Is this a system fault?
Also, have you chosen the kick-off topics or the NCC?
Is Samantha on the table this time and will she be able to get timely replies to our questions?
Comment 1.1.1 29 Apr 2008, 4:05 PM
MESSAGE FROM ADMIN
Welcome back Reformer. Matt is not the administrator for this page. The topics relate to the questions on Council's consultation flyer (see library).
You can only vote once for each comment and I note your vote has registered.
It is up to council how much they choose to interact. The statement in the introduction tells us they plan a 'hands off' approach in order to focus on getting feedback.
Comment 1.1.1.1 1 May 2008, 9:47 AM
Admin, your statement "It is up to council how much they choose to interact. The statement in the introduction tells us they plan a 'hands off' approach in order to focus on getting feedback." is confusing. Are you from th NCC or from the Bang the table organisation?
Comment 1.1.1.1.1 1 May 2008, 9:52 AM
This is supposed to be consultation.
Consultation must be two way communication.
Comment 1.1.1.1.2 1 May 2008, 9:54 AM
Has the Elected Council decided for no interaction or is it the Acting General Manager? I don't recall this being on any Council Agenda. perhaps the Councillors could respond on this one! Or do they completely ignore this process?
Comment 1.1.1.1.2.1 1 May 2008, 9:57 AM
I have not seen any Councillors on this site. Surely if they represent ratepayers they should show an interest.
I have not seen how they wish to keep residential rates down
Comment 1.1.1.2 1 May 2008, 9:59 AM
I've seen an email from Matt signed as admin@bangthetable. This is confusing. Last time Matt was admin. Now we don't know who ytou are or where you come from.
Comment 1.1.1.2.1 1 May 2008, 10:04 AM
Reformer , you sound more like the Council than a reformer. You only seem to be interested in the paperwork.
I am more interested in cutting the paperwork, reducing the admin and then reducing the rates. Cut your admin by $12m and i can have my rates cut by 25%
Comment 1.1.1.2.1.1 22 May 2008, 11:40 AM
I agree Bigfella.
What we need is 75 more strategists to ponder this problem.
Comment 2 1 May 2008, 10:10 AM
Council and Councillors don't give a toss about the people out in the suburbs like at Maryland. Look at all the money wasted on the Ocean Baths and Surf House, all the time and effort talking about city rail, city centre and similar stuff. it's about time they focussed less on keeping cushy jobs and more on kerb and guttering, footpaths, parks etc.
Growing families can't support high rates to subsidise fat cats.
Comment 2.1 1 May 2008, 8:49 PM
I agree more facilites should go into the western suburb areas.
Comment 2.2 1 May 2008, 10:12 PM
Surf House! What money? I have been walking past that dilapidated site for 10 years. 10 years! 10 years of my life I have had to look at that thing on my daily walk to the beach.
(Yes, I live in Merewether: but I'll bet I earn less than you, and I pay higher rates to look at broken-down buildings.)
Comment 2.2.1 3 May 2008, 12:11 PM
I live at Wallsend, so apart form the library we got next to nothing from the Council cause most of the council powerbrokers live in town. we are the forgotten people.
why do they have to spend $277,000 on a lifesaver shed at Merewether when mooloolaba and othe seaside places spend $20,000? this is why you merewethers have to pay high rates!
NOCURFEW!!
Comment 2.2.1.1 4 May 2008, 11:33 AM
And the Library does not even have any parking areas. Just got to park in the street or bludge on the shopping centre car park.
A great example set by the NCC for developers!!!!
Comment 2.2.1.1.1 13 May 2008, 6:15 PM
Bigfella for Mayor! I understand he is thinking of running and he has a plan to reform the city administration and return them to true public service.
Comment 2.2.1.1.1.1 13 May 2008, 10:56 PM
Thank you for the very kind words and encouragement! I dont know your source of information however I do know that our Council is operating in the best LGA in this State however all performance indicators show the LGA is falling well short of its potential. The NCC must take the blame for much of the very poor performance. It is overgoverned, does not concentrate on the core issues and most of the NCC Senior Management Team would seem to be totally out of touch with the reality of Newcastle and what is necessary for Newcastle to move forward.
Cutting our rates by 25% will give our LGA one important advantage over the highly performing LGA of Maitland. Extra population means more jobs, more houses and a major boost to the Newcastle economy.
Comment 2.2.1.1.2 13 May 2008, 6:17 PM
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Comment 2.2.1.1.2.1 13 May 2008, 10:58 PM
See the above point.
Comment 2.2.1.1.2.1.1 22 May 2008, 11:42 AM
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Comment 2.2.1.2 13 May 2008, 6:17 PM
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Comment 2.3 13 May 2008, 6:18 PM
I agree
Comment 3 1 May 2008, 8:48 PM
This is so silly. If you reduce rates you reduce services. The people who rely on services most are the poorest. Im willing to bet the people arguing for rate reductions are mostly living in expensive homes who are comfortably off. Those of us who rely on Council services dont want rate reductions we want better services.
If Bigfeller really thinks he could do council's job better than them he should run for mayor and let us see what he is really made of.
Comment 3.1 4 May 2008, 11:43 AM
Dipsy you seem to be very misguided and totally out of touch with reality.
Firstly Dipsy please explain why if you reduce rates do you have to reduce services? That is simply not true.
Secondly I do not live in an expensive home and I am not well off. I bet my income is less than yours!
Thirdly what services do you rely on? Is it flooding from poorly maintained drains, a broken ankle from the root lifted footpath or did you have to buy a GPS because of the lack of information from signage. I bet you also visit the Museum regularlly.
Dipsy will you and your friends vote for me if I stand for Mayor?
Comment 3.1.1 8 May 2008, 7:47 PM
If I am as out of touch as you think then perhaps you will get my vote! With the mayoral salary in your pocket you would definately have more income than me. LOL!
Comment 3.1.1.1 13 May 2008, 6:14 PM
I agree Dipsy. Bigfella for Mayor! I understand he is thinking of running and he has a plan to reform the city administration and return them to true public service.
Comment 3.1.1.1.1 13 May 2008, 11:04 PM
Dipsy is Smack the pony a friend of yours?
I bet if the Management Plan was reworked to cut the rates by 25% all the pensioners and low income residents of Newcastle would be very greatful as the economic pressures of trying to live in Newcastle LGA do allow for Council rates to keep going up and up.
Comment 3.1.1.1.1.1 15 May 2008, 10:20 PM
FRIEND OF MINE???? no, I doubt it.
I am not against rate cuts but services should go first.
Comment 3.1.1.1.1.1.1 20 May 2008, 10:42 PM
I am sure you do not mean that core and essential services should be cut.
There are however lots of services that are fringe activities that could get the chop,
I also see little point in spending large amounts of money on planning issues and reports when there is no hope of funding the activity.
This site cost about $10,000 or 12 residents rates just for a few of us to have some fun.
I am sure you will agree.
Comment 3.1.1.1.1.2 28 May 2008, 2:37 PM
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Comment 3.1.2 22 May 2008, 11:42 AM
I agree Bigfella.
What we need is 75 more strategists to ponder this problem.
Comment 3.2 13 May 2008, 6:15 PM
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Comment 3.3 13 May 2008, 6:16 PM
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Comment 3.4 13 May 2008, 6:16 PM
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Comment 3.4.1 13 May 2008, 11:11 PM
Gee smack the pony you seem keen to have me as Mayor!
To me it is very important that the operation of NCC is very transparent and that residents are told the full facts.
Tonights Council meeting was again closed to the public for another "Confidential session" May be the current Mayor may llike to join this site and tell us why. Mayor Tate may also like to tell us why many of the important figures are missing from the Service Unit budgets in the Draft Management Plan. ( I asked Mayor Tate that question several weeks ago and todate no answer!!!!)
Comment 3.5 21 May 2008, 4:01 PM
I do not think he would get many votes Dipsy! I agree about services they are very important to me
Comment 3.5.1 21 May 2008, 9:50 PM
You to might like to list some of the services that are important to you that only Newcastle City Council provides to our LGA.
Are you prepared to pay or part pay for some of them.
Unless you can list them they may not get any funds in the Management Plan.
As I said to Dipsy there is no reason why residential rates can not be reduced by 25% and you still have the services. A 25% rate reduction is only about $12m or twice what the Ocean baths wall has cost so far.
Comment 3.5.2 26 May 2008, 9:27 PM
speedy..... you are dead right !!!
Comment 4 4 May 2008, 11:53 AM
There is absolutely no reason why residential rates and charges can not be reduced by at least 25% and I would like to see this site concentrate on the Management Plan.
It is a very poor document that is very hard to read. Some would say designed to limit open consultation.
To reduce the residential rates by 25% would only require reducing the total budget expenditure of about $200m by about $10m. That should be very easy given that NCC wasted $4m on the front wall of the Ocean Baths!
Comment 4.1 13 May 2008, 6:11 PM
I agree Bigfella.
Comment 4.1.1 13 May 2008, 11:16 PM
This site is supposed to be part of the consultation process.
This is not consultation as no Council officers or Councillors have addressed any of the issues raised.
I trust the report to the Council and Minister will clearly state that Bangthetable did not form part of the consultation process.
Comment 4.1.1.1 22 May 2008, 11:46 AM
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Comment 4.1.1.2 22 May 2008, 11:47 AM
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Comment 4.2 26 May 2008, 9:58 PM
Bigfeller, you say you can reduce rates by 25%, could you please explain to all of us how you would go about this.
You say you have a 50 page summary of how to do this.
All i'm hearing from you is that you can do it,
but talk is cheap !!!
So,if you would like to explain how you would go about it, I think all of us would be very interested to hear what you have to say..... I know I am !!!!
So please mate, tell us some of the ways you would go about this.... Lets start from page one if you could.
& you say I am a councillor basher..... People that live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, don't you think ??
if dipsy is out of touch with reality, you should explain your self a bit better, because you say you can, but have not explained how.
So.... Tell us !!
Personally, I think you could blow up a hot air balloon with all the hot air, as you have not explained yourself properly
Comment 4.2.1 27 May 2008, 8:40 PM
Where are your ideas You're Conscious?
I have some, but the Councillors won't listen OR understand, unless the policy aligns with the NSW Teachers Federation Policy (remember almost half the Councillors were Teachers Fed delegates and/or supporters including Councillors Parsons, Eade, Hornery, Scobie and Gaudry) or the Greens State and Local rules which stiop them from reigning in excesses in manning.
They lack the skills to properly oversee the excesses that continue, so fight over small issues.
The problems are not complex - just too hard foir the current administrators.
Comment 4.2.1.1 27 May 2008, 10:26 PM
I Agree..... Watch the changes come September !!!
Those who think they are safe are in for a big suprise.
A lot of the voters now, are former students....
Plus, I have never publicly stated that I could reduce the rates by 25%, that is a mighty big reduction.
Also, out of them names you have said, are any of them Maths Teachers ?
I know for a fact, that one of those names was a Science teacher at Lambton High that use to lock his students in the classroom & had no control to start off with.
And I personally think one of the Independents more…
Comment 4.2.1.1.1 28 May 2008, 9:16 AM
MESSAGE FROM ADMIN
Guys, this is a consultation on the Management Plan, the last couple of posts are starting to stray into an electoral discussion and would appreciate it if you would stay on the subject.
Thanks
Comment 4.2.1.1.1.1 28 May 2008, 1:48 PM
Admin,
I'm not a guy I'm a girl.
Comment 4.2.1.1.1.2 28 May 2008, 2:40 PM
You are wrong Admin. The competence of the Elected Council to properly review the management Plan strikes at the very heart of the problem in Newcastle.
Comment 4.2.1.1.1.3 28 May 2008, 2:40 PM
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Comment 4.2.1.1.1.4 28 May 2008, 4:02 PM
Sorry..... No councillors from our ward are coming on this site to tell us what they are doing, what they think or what they want, this is why I came on this site in the first place, to get an insight to what they are thinking or doing to solve these problems. the thumbs up & thumbs down are telling us that we are not getting off the beating track, i'm interested in what the people elected have to say, if they don't come on here & tell us, how can we have an opinion if the people in charge more…