Rates hike survey raises hackles

HUNDREDS of unhappy residents are steamed up about Lismore Council's proposed special rate variation and took to social media to vent.

RATE RISE: Lismore's residents are furious with council's proposed Special Rate Variation and took to social media to share their frustration. Picture: Supplied

IT MIGHT be a debate about raising the rates but it's also causing residents blood pressure to rise and generating general reader outrage.

When The Northern Star asked via social media what residents throught about the council slugging them with a special rate variation, more than 320 people responded.

Lismore City Council is seeking feedback on plans to increase rates in the coming years, so we asked: "Do you think residents should pay more?"

Readers were given three options - A. No, rates are expensive enough, B. Yes, we need better roads and better services, and C. It doesn't bother me.

With nearly 300 people giving their opinion, the overwhelming response was "A".

And many people gave reasons as to their decision.

Here's a sample of the answers we can print:

Paul Weir - "Happy to pay more rates but only if current councillors resign.... Not pay a cent more for this council to mismanage".

Paul Murphy - "Reading through the comments I would say 99 per cent of comments are against rates increase and so am I. Interesting, that not one councillor has made any comments so far but what will be more interesting is how these councillors vote?".

Richard Michael - "Paul Murphy you and I both know what will happen. Very disappointing that the elected councillors can't actually hear what the constituents that voted them in are saying. There will be some spin doctoring at its best coming for sure".

Karen Willott - "A and B Stop wasting money on brass boats and floating solar, get back to maintaining our existing infrastructure and let the Square expand, look after the tourism industry, turn downtown into a business and cafe precinct. Stop giving yourselves pay rises.....simple".

Mel Fisher - "A. We are paying enough. Low income families can't afford the rates now...".

Veronica Sartori - "No rate rise......I don't even know what I get for the +2k I pay now. Not too keen on handing over more money for nothing. People are paying more than enough".

Scott Morrissey - "How about you throw open the accounts of council so we can see how pathetic the management has been. Start back in the early 80s".

Kim Everingham - "A! As said in an earlier comment the spending of this council would never occur in private enterprise. Council needs to budget better, we already have some of the most expensive rates in the state and when a six million dollar deficit is missed, a major overhaul of council is required. The rates already don't match up with services available so there is absolutely no way to justify this".

Tell us what level of rates you pay here.