FEDERATION councillor Fred Longmire has accused former administrator Mike Eden of delivering farmers in the former Corowa Shire area a raw deal with a rate increase of 14.9 per cent this financial year.
Cr Longmire claimed farmers in the southern area of the new council were being short-changed on roads funding even though they had been slugged more than double in rates from the previous financial year.
He sought a clarification on the issue at the Federation Council meeting on Tuesday.
“Anywhere between $5000 and $25,000 more is being paid by the former Corowa Shire farmland people,” Cr Longmire said.
“Mr Eden promoted the increase as the result of farmers having a good year in the 2016 calendar year and their unimproved capital value had risen and they could afford the increase.
“But a lot of farmers in that calendar year lost up to 70 per cent of their crop return due to floods, especially up around the Daysdale area.
“Unsealed roads between properties are in very bad condition and farmers are worried the new cropping season is not far away.”
Cr Longmire queried why $200,000 in rural roads re-sheeting works had been taken out of the budget in the southern area of Federation.
But infrastructure director Peter Gall said the council was split on the locations where supervisors were based and some over-lapping did exist.
He confirmed works were pending on the areas mentioned by Cr Longmire.
“’I’m trying to prove a point that the former Corowa Shire farmers are badly in need of money being spent on their roads,” Cr Longmire said.
Mr Eden stood by his decision.
“Farmland values went up enormously and residential property values didn’t go up,” he said.
“Is Cr Longmire suggesting the council give pensioners living in residential properties paying rates that are not tax deductable increases rather than farmers who can probably afford it and get a tax deduction on the way through?
“He needs to look forwards, not backwards.”
Cr Longmire said pre-merger it was agreed rate pain would be shared equally.
Meanwhile, Cr Longmire gained unanimous support for notice of motion calling for a halt on the Corowa skate park to remain at its existing location.
Consideration to relocating the skate park would only be given if community consultation on the new design for the existing site on the corner of John and Bow streets was strongly opposed.
