KARRATHA COUNCILLORS VOTE TO INCREASE RATES

BY CONRAD MACLEAN

City of Karratha councillors voted to increase rates by five per cent at a meeting on Friday night.

At least three councillors objected, arguing for no increase due to inflation and the increased cost of living.

Karratha City Mayor Peter Long supported the five per cent increase.

He said that not raising the rates for one year would put a financial strain on future years.

“My issue was that we should never run a negative budget,” he said.

“If you don’t put up the rates one year you’ve got to put them up a lot further on.”

“I remember the Kalgoorlie council didn’t put them up for a few years, and then they were really in financial straits.

“The council put them up 13% in one year and they all got sacked at the next election.”

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