Tamworth Regional Council has come under fire for a controversial decision to increase rates by 18.5 per cent in the 2024-25 financial year. See how locals are reacting. Video by Gareth Gardner
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00:00Look, there was a couple of big things discussed last night, and I'll probably start with the
00:06special rate variation with the budget, the operational plan, and the fees and charges
00:12were adopted, seven votes to two, and of course there was a division with the vote there,
00:18with the two Councillors that opposed that. There was vigorous discussion about what it
00:23meant to actually get a rate rise.
00:25So, Council approved the first half of the special rate variation last night, that's
00:29going to put business rates in Tamworth up by an average of about $900 starting from
00:35next month. How is that going to affect your business? What's your reaction?
00:38No, I mean, $900 effectively on the bottom line, it just increases the pressure on small
00:45businesses. Some businesses don't have the luxury to afford that expense, so they will
00:52have to fork it out, obviously, but it's going to come on their bottom line, which
00:57means increase of prices, it's not favourable for the community, not favourable for the
01:04environment around them.
01:05What is your reaction to hearing that Council put up the rates last night?
01:09I think it stinks. Oh no, not again.
01:12Council should be working for businesses, especially small businesses, to generate more
01:18employment, to generate more business in a small community. It shouldn't be the other
01:23way around.
01:24It's not fair on families, you know, because they've probably already got a mortgage and
01:30they've got two or three kids to cover. And now they're going to put the rates up on it.
01:37These Councillors, we vote for them to go in to work for us, not the other way around,
01:44we don't work for them.