MidCoast Council is calling on residents to join with other councils across New South Wales, by calling on the Federal Government to increase funding for Local Government.
Mayor of MidCoast Council, Claire Pontin, said local governments are the backbone of our communities, delivering essential services and infrastructure that shape the daily lives of Australians, underpinning community wellbeing, and economic vitality.
Despite this, funding constraints continue to limit councils' ability to meet these growing demands.
"In the 1990s, councils received about 1% of total Federal tax revenue," explained Mayor Pontin. "Today, that has dropped to around 0.5%. We are calling on the Federal Government to restore this funding to 1%.
"When councils are forced to raise local government fees, charges and rates to remains sustainable, that places a direct burden on ratepayers and increases the cost of living. Increased Federal funding would help to address this.
The call for action is part of the "Invest in Us" campaign led by the NSW Country Mayors Association. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the need for stronger and more reliable funding for councils.
In recent years there has been unprecedented operational cost increases for local governments. While there are federal grants programs that are available, these are usually accessed through competitive funding applications which take up considerable staff time, and are project-based, limiting councils' ability to deliver on what the community actually needs and wants.
"A return to 1% of tax revenue would enable a significant increase in our roads budget, helping to close the current gap between the work that needs to be done and the funds we have to do it," said Mayor Pontin.
Given that this issue is currently being reviewed through a Federal Government inquiry into the financial sustainability of Local Government, this is a perfect time for councils and residents to band together and let Federal Government know the importance of this issue to our community.
Visit the Country Mayor's Association to see how you can help https://nswcountrymayors.com.au/invest-in-us-2
