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Wangaratta Chronicle - Friday, April 28, 2023

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FRIDAY, April 28, 2023

Weekend Edition $1.50 INC. GST

READY FOR ANYTHING WANGARATTA local Nicki Lewis will tackle the Frontline Safari adventure ride in May as she continues to use her passion for motorcycling to overcome the physical impacts of PTSD.  Story page 4

ANZAC footy in France Page 2

Can you help NHW? Page 7

Merlin’s super finish Sport

Fairer go on rates PROPERTY owners are set to be spared a full increase in municipal rates in 2023/24 with Rural City of Wangaratta councillors deciding to lower the rise from 3.5 to 2.9 per cent. If the draft budget is adopted on June 27, the difference will be the equivalent to $171,000 in lost council revenue based on the anticipated 16,370 rates assessments. Council officers recommended an increase

proportional to a form of Council moves 2.9% rate increase on cityy ratepayers p y capital wealth and they’re a

BY STEVE KELLY skelly@ nemedia.com.au

in rates in line with the Fair Go Rates Cap of 3.5pc to cover budgetary pressures extending into future years, but council Mayor Dean Rees cast the deciding vote on a 3-3 split to ease the rise by 0.6pc at the April

meeting this week. Cr Harry Bussell put forward an alternate motion to reduce the rate rise from 3.5 to 2.9pc and that council officers investigate opportunities to cover the resulting shortfall in revenue through the identification of increased income, new savings or a reduction to capital works expenditure. “I had to give a lot of

long, hard thought into this reduction which is still a substantial increase on last year. “As this is a rural area, the price of cows that have gone down per head, sheep have halved in price, grapes are down, interest rates are up, expenses are up and I think we have to be very mindful of our constituents and hardship that some will face.” “Nevertheless we still

have to run a business in the council and I feel that this is reasonable that we all share some of the financial pain.” Cr Jack Herry was against the alternate recommendation proposed by Cr Bussell and said the rate cap was not an appropriate tool to address cost of living pressures. “Firstly not all our community members are ratepayers and rates are

tax that’s applied against that. “It could likely be that there are community members who are suffering significant cost of living pressures possibly aren’t paying rates. “I know there is significant controversy around how the rating system works with respect to our farming community and farming sector. ■ Continued page 5

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