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Yarra rates - always going up, and amongst the highest in the state..

Fri, 2008-07-18 22:27 — Ian Quick

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Why do rates in yarra go up and up? Why are they amongst the highest in the state?
This Council has increased the total rates take from $50.5 million to $65.2 million

Unlike a private company, where you can decide not to buy something that is getting too expensive, Yarra can spend whatever money it wants to and send you the bill in the form of rates that you have to pay.

I've been arguing for years that council need to have a good look at everything it is doing, with the aim of being more cost effective, but I can't get the council interested in doing anything about it.

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One of the arguments council has used is that their increases are only a 'bit' higher than CPI. Try twice as high (over the last 4 years that this council has been in place).
ie Total rates have gone up by 29%, and over the same period CPI was only 12%!

If a current councilor asks you to vote for them at the November election, ask them why they have voted for these increases (Steve Jolly is the only one who hasn't).