Out of balance

THE Herald Sun report headed $2b ripoff (Tuesday, 18 March) strikes yet another blow against the integrity of local government’s capacity for sound financial management.
Last year Casey council increased our rates by 7.5 per cent despite many objections from residents, including myself.
As I pointed out in my submissions, there was absolutely no need for a rates rise of this order.
Under the leadership of Casey CEO Mike Tyler and the then mayor Amanda Stapleton, all Casey councillors unanimously endorsed a rates rise to finance the costs of developing some very expensive sporting facilities as well as the immediate replacement of an unusually high number of council vehicles, mechanical equipment and machinery.
These projects were not of an urgent nature and should have been financed over several years instead of over one financial year.
All the Casey councillors, furthermore, wrongly claimed there were no other budget options due to external imposts.
None of our Casey councillors, however, objected to some of their colleagues spending ratepayers’ money on a trip to the Tamworth Music Festival this year.
The poor standard of financial management shows there is a lack of appropriate checks and balances on many councils, including Casey.
John Glazebrook,
Endeavour Hills.