Jennifer Pittorino
A Hobsons Bay resident has created a petition asking Hobsons Bay council to reduce rates in the municipality, which he believes will ease the cost of living crisis.
Ranbir Lambra felt compelled to create the petition after noticing council’s uptick in expected revenue was raised by $2 million.
“Despite an initial forecast of $134 million for the 2024-25 fiscal year, council now eyes a heightened revenue of $136 million,” he said.
Mr Lambra said he discovered this figure in the recent revised budget.
“Why do we have to pay $2 million more when all the estimates had been done earlier,” he said.
“This uptick is unacceptable, especially with the current economic climate and cost of living crisis.”
Mr Lambra is asking where the extra money will be coming from in the community.
“They have decided to take $2 million more from the pockets of an already struggling community,” he said.
“The people are struggling, interest rates have gone up, rent has gone up, everything is expensive.
“And instead of getting any relief from council to the ratepayers, they decide to take more money from them.”
In the petition, Mr Lambra said there are additional concerns being felt by the community.
“To rectify this, council must wield its fiscal prowess by trimming operational costs by 1.5 per cent.
“This prudent move would yield a $2 million efficiency, curbing the impending rate hike without compromising service quality or availability.”
In addition to asking council to spend its money more “sensibly, Mr Lambra also asks for more transparency.
“I think council needs to be more transparent and empathetic to the people because council is our basic level of government and we need to know what’s going on.”
So far the petition has amassed 95 of its 100 signature goal.
Hobsons Bay council said it was unable to comment on the story because the petition had not been addressed by council.
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