Dungog mayor Harold Johnston has warned ratepayers that their rates will rise whether the council merges with Maitland or Port Stephens.
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Cr Johnston said there was a flyer circulating with Dungog Shire Community Group’s petition that had incorrect information.
“I am aware of another flyer accompanying the petition that is being circulated by the Dungog Shire Community Group which makes claims that are simply wrong and misleading,” he said.
He said the flyer claimed that rates would double under a Dungog-Maitland merger and residents needed to realise that the same rates would also take a significant hike under a merger with Port Stephens.
”We need to be aware that rates will also rise substantially if there is a merger with Port Stephens Council,” Cr Johnston said.
The state government has confirmed that rates under a merged council would be fixed for the first four years.
Cr Johnston pointed to a study Dungog Shire Council conducted on rates which compared the current rates of Dungog, Maitland and Port Stephens councils.
The study showed ratepayers under the Dungog Urban rate category, with a land value of $90,000, currently pay $603.53 in Dungog. That category costs $653.47 in Port Stephens and $830.42 in Maitland – according to the latest rating figures. Clarence Town Urban ratepayers pay $571.82 in Dungog and in Port Stephens and Maitland the cost is up to $226 more.
Dungog businesses, with a land value of $90,000, pay $798.58 and Clarence Town Business ratepayers with the same land value pay $763.60. Port Stephens businesses in the same category pay $2,189.67 and in Maitland they pay $1758.78.
Rural residential ratepayers, with a land value of $325,000, pay $1149.90 in Dungog. The same category in Port Stephens pay $1149.90 and in Maitland pay $2086.95.
DSC Village ratepayers, with a land value of $80,000, pay $454.55 in Dungog. A similar category in Port Stephens pays $619.64 and in Maitland pays $657.86.
All of these figures are dependent upon the land values stated above.
Cr Johnston also said the group’s petition also made claims about representation under a merged council that was flawed.
“The petition also states that a merger with Maitland will remove democratic local representation,” he said.
“The same will occur with a merger with Port Stephens.
“Any merger will mean that the residents of the current Dungog Shire will most likely achieve only one elected representative on a new council.”
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