Aldermanic Social Experimentation Must Stop

It is worthy of note that the youth center is an initiative of Northern Tasmania Development, itself a creature of Launceston City Council. So what we have is Launceston City Council, thorough its proxies, initiating and supporting non core activities which would never have got up had they gone to the floor of Council in the first place.

Northern Tasmania Development was initially established to encourage and assist economic development in the northern region, but given its poor performance in doing that, it has taken on community development and a grabbag of other 'busy work' activities as well. Council should ensure no more Launceston ratepayers funds go to the youth center, and while it is at it, also discontinue funding of Northern Tasmania Development.

If Launceston City Council ratepayers are to ever constrain the extraordinary, and largely unaccountable, expenditures on their behalf there needs to a paradigm shift embraced by Council Officers and the Aldermen alike. Do not hold your breath waiting.

Witney Small

COUNCIL COMMUNICATION: Cataract Gorge Environmental Flow

To: Harry Galea (précis )

It is understood that Council had asked Hydro to defer finalising their process until Council had managed to arrange the public meeting, so it is hoped that the delay doesn’t now hamper the process.

Other than the interest shown by its Cataract Gorge Advisory Committee, Council is way behind the ball on this issue having not taken much interest in it when originally invited by Hydro to its public forums last year.

Other parties who did, have put a lot of effort into dealing with the issue, and they must now be included in your process as a priority, not just as a matter of courtesy.

Accordingly, the following groups should be included by you without needing to respond to any public notice as you may intend.

Cataract Gorge Protection Association Inc.
Tasmanian Ratepayers Association Inc.
Heritage Protection Association (Tasmania) Inc.
LCC Cataract Gorge Advisory Committee

We look forward to hearing more about Council’s expectations and intentions, prior to any notice being published.

Regards,

Lionel

Cc: Robert Dobrzynski, Mayor van Zettan, Armitage & Norton plus Andrew Smith

LETTER TO COUNCIL: Remission of Rates for Residents of Retirement Villages

Dear Mayor and Alderman

City of Launceston

We refer to Agenda item 12.1 for the Meeting to be held on 18/10/10. The Tasmanian Ratepayers Association believes in equity for all residents and occupiers of land within the City of Launceston.

The residents of retirement villages and the like receive the benefits afforded to all other residents of the city.

Matters such as internal roads , lighting thereof, refuse collection and the like, are only part of the services that residents of this City require, and are taken into account with the State valuation system. There are many similar examples outside retirement villages where these services and others of a similar kind are paid for by occupants and not provided by the City.

Occupiers of retirement villages are no less wealthy than many other occupiers of rental properties who inter alia contribute to rating costs as part of rental/lease arrangements. There are many residents in this City who are struggling to meet their daily living expenses includingpayment of municipal rates, and are far worse off than many residents of retirement villages.There are residents of this city, even those who are property owners, who are unable to afford a move to a retirement village.

Retirement village residents are commonly subsidised either by capital works or operational expenses by government and charitable bodies. Whilst there is a small pensioner remission available to ordinary pensioner/ratepayers, that level of support does not equate to what is provided to residents of retirement villages. The ordinary resident/ratepayer of the city have also worked hard and paid taxes and rates for all of their lives. They are certainly no different to the nature and character of the apparent “special” residents of retirement villages. As Aldermen you are elected to represent the interests of all ratepayers, please fulfil your duties in that regard.

There is an apparent view from many people in the community, that many people living in some of the more recently constructed retirement villages are more akin to a social elite, and it is difficult to not support this view when one learns what these residents pay to become a resident of these well-appointed retirement villages.

Of course Councillors have been somewhat intimidated by the aggressive opposition by this visibly mobile and organised groups of residents, however, that spectre of opponents ought not persuade Councillors to abandon or neglect the needs and sorry plight of other, less organised and less able ratepayer and individuals resident within the city.

Please do not support the remission of rates for residents of retirement villages.

Yours sincerely,

Lionel Morrell
President
Tasmanian Ratepayers Association Inc
Tel 0428 137 050

LETTER TO COUNCIL: LCC Alderman Ball's Urgent Motion

Dear Mayor and Alderman,

City of Launceston.

The Examiner (P13 16/10/10) reports that Ald Jeremy Ball has rushed through a motion for Monday’s meeting promoting financial support to keep Youth on Paterson financially viable for 12 months whilst it sources other funding options.

There is NOTHING on Council’s website providing any information in relation to this motion. The Tasmanian Ratepayers Association DOES NOT SUPPORT Local Government funding for this purpose. Responsibility for this area of community activity is within the realm of State and Federal Governments.

Whilst we agree that Youth on Paterson provides a valuable and worthy service to the community, we do not understand from the press article – being the only information made available – why the previous funding arrangements have not been continued, and why, since this has apparently been known since June 2010, that it is being presented without notice.
Launceston Ratepayers are already funding activities and services to residents that live beyond the municipal boundaries of the City, and many ratepayers are struggling to pay the present rates and costs of other essential living services.

There is no provision in Council’s budget for this activity.

Should Alderman wish to support charitable activities of this kind, then they are free to do so and can choose to apply their aldermanic and mayoral allowances to that purpose.

Please do not provide financial support to this activity.

Yours sincerely,
Lionel Morrell
President
Tasmanian Ratepayers Association Inc.
Tel 0428 137 050

EXAMINER ARTICLE: Fears for youth centre future 16 Oct 10 | THE Launceston City Council will be asked to help finance the Youth on Paterson centre to prevent its imminent closure. Alderman Jeremy Ball rushed through a last-minute motion for the agenda for Monday's council meeting, seeking council ... read more here