Direct democracy ‘our only hope’
Forum – Not content with loading ratepayers with massive rate increases, the Administrator now wants to force a 34 per cent hike in water rates on suffering residents (CCN312). The…
rate rise
Service cuts to come if rates don’t stay at 15 per cent
Libraries, childcare centres, sports grounds, outdoor swimming pools and theatres could be some of the services to be cut back if Central Coast Council is unsuccessful in its attempt to…
Council asks community to support rate rise extension
Central Coast Council will continue to push for a seven-year extension of the 15 per cent general rates rise, which came into effect on July 1 for a three-year capped…
Activist questions $150,000 random reference group
Community activist Joy Cooper has slammed Central Coast Council’s decision to continue to push for a seven-year extension of the 15 per cent rates rise introduced in July this year…
Framework needed to stop developer favours
Forum – Mr Hart’s concern about the draft Bill on developer contributions (“Hart backs backlash over daft developer funding Bill”, Chronicle p24 Aug 25) seems to be very narrowly focussed…
Zombie myths from Administrator
Forum – Central Coast Council Administrator Rik Hart continues to defend Gosford’s 42 per cent rate hike with zombie myths – i.e., myths that refuse to die despite the evidence…
Wasted chance to learn from mistakes
Forum – Congratulations to the Pelican Post on running the story “Will keeping submissions private serve the public interest” on its front page regarding the current Central Coast Council Public…
People can’t afford to pay higher rates
Forum – Central Coast Council Administrator, Rik Hart, wants to increase our rates for at least three years at 15 per cent each year and obviously David Farmer, the new…
Hart must clarify ‘unlawful’ matters
Forum – I received my rate notice and with anticipation I opened it and saw that the proposed increase had started, however it was the glossy brochure enclosed that caught…
One happy rate payer
Forum – I have some good news for Wyong ratepayers. I have just received my latest annual rate notice with a total cost of $1856, a saving of $163. Note…
Hyland Bytes: Omelette or scrambled eggs?
Forum – It is astonishing that people you would expect to think in better than one-issue terms, apparently, imagine that demerging Gosford and Wyong is the most important problem we…
Minimum rate hike hurts those with lowest land values
About 3,600 ratepayers in Wyong who live in villas and units are the unlucky ones who have seen their ordinary council rates rise by $265 this year. Despite the rates…
Sophistry of the highest order
Forum – I would like to respond to (Council Administrator) Rik Hart’s suggestion that the rate rise (of 15 per cent) is needed beyond three years (CCN301). He has accused…
Not happy Rik – Peninsula rate payers feel the sting
Council Administrator, Rik Hart, has attempted to explain why ratepayers within the former Gosford City Local Government Area have been burdened with rate increases significantly higher than the 15 per…
Rate rises “fairly quickly forgotten”, former Administrator
Are you over the shock of your latest rates notice? The good news for former Gosford residents is that the pain won’t last long, according to former Central Coast Council…
Rates rubber stamped to rise from August
Central Coast Council has officially rubber stamped its plans to increase rates by 15 per cent and harmonise rates across the two former Gosford and Wyong local government areas. For…
Administrator accused of sophistry of the highest order
Forum – I would like to respond to the Administrator, Rik Hart’s, suggestion that the rate rise is needed beyond three years. He has accused local political leaders of choosing…
Local political leaders chose to not understand Council’s financial situation – Hart
Central Coast Council will need to factor in another restructure in three years’ time if it is not allowed to keep its rate rise permanently in the budget, says Administrator,…
A Plan B needed if special rate variation is not extended beyond three years; Hart
Central Coast Council will need to factor in another restructure in three years’ time if it is not allowed to keep its rate rise permanently in the budget, Administrator Rik…
It was always the long term goal to maintain the new rate levels
Forum – The latest in the financial fiasco saga is that Central Coast Council, meaning our Administrator, plans to make the just approved three year rate impost permanent (“Council flags…