By Jade Lawton and
Casey resident Tricia Clarke was one of many who opposed the council’s latest rate rise. 48005 Picture: Stewart Chambers
Melissa Meehan
AS THE Brooklands Green saga continues, Casey residents are still waiting to hear whether they will be forced to pay for the disaster’s clean up bill.
There were no such dramas at Cardinia Shire, where the 6.79 per cent rate rise was passed without much fuss on Monday night.
Casey Council was set to decide last night if they would adopt an 11.69 per cent hike, depending on the results of last-minute talks with the State Government.
Cardinia councillors voted to endorse the budget on Monday night, with the exception of Councillor Collin Ross.
Cr Ross said he could not support the budget, for the second year in a row, because when voted in he promised residents that he would ‘keep costs down.’
“It is outrageous,” Cr Ross said.
However, he was the only one the seven councillors to oppose the budget.
Cr Brett Owen said the budget was responsible and would meet the needs of the community.
Casey’s budget has proved more contentious, with Harkaway resident and former Berwick Shire mayor Syd Pargeter questioning the legality of the rate hike.
“I’m yet to be shown where it is legal such a clause in local government act that it is legal. If they bring in this as part of the rates it may yet turn out to be the biggest mistake ever made,” he said.
“I’ve never seen something so unpopular.”
Mr Pargeter urged Casey CEO Mike Tyler to make the 5.5 per cent landfill fund an optional payment.
But City of Casey director Corporate Services Steve Dalton quashed the claims.
“The Local Government Act allows councils to raise rates to meet their budgeted expenses, as outlined in Sections 158-162 of the Local Government Act,” he said.
Mr Dalton also said the council had submitted four business cases to the State Government over the past 15 months.
