Seniors lose rate debate

St John’s residents to pay on properties this year

Written by STEVEN BURKE.- Wangaratta Chronicle - 18 Feb 09

PROTEST votes by Rural City of Wangaratta councillors, Rozi Parisotto and Lauren O’Neill, have failed to stop St John’s Village residents becoming ratepayers.

A busload of St John’s residents made the trip out to Edi Upper Hall last night to hear whether they would begin paying rates in the 2009/2010 financial year.

And their drive back to Wangaratta was a long one, after council passed the motion by a majority of three to two.

Crs Roberto Paino, Lisa McInerney and mayor Ron Webb voted the recommendation through, with Crs O’Neill and Parisotto voting against it.

Cr Doug McPhie was absent and Cr Anthony Griffiths had to be excused from voting due to a conflict of interest, as both his wife and mother work at St John’s Village.

But the vote was a mere formality, with council chief executive, Doug Sharp, saying council was legally obliged to begin rating the previously unrated properties.

"In our view and with the legal advice we have, council doesn’t have the discretion not to rate these properties," he said.

"Our advice therefore is that council can only note these reports."

St John’s chief executive officer, Joe Caruso, was allowed to address councillors before they voted.

He used the example of an aged care facility in the Otway Shire, to argue that council did have the power of discretion in applying rates.

"I’ve had the opportunity to talk to people within Otway Shire and they’ve agreed that if St John’s Village had have been in that particular shire, we would be granted rating exemption, as we have been for quite some time," he said.

While voting against the recommendation to rate St John’s, Cr Parisotto admitted council’s hands were tied.

"I actually feel quite sick to the stomach when confronted with this and we as councillors do have to make a decision," she said.

Cr Parisotto said while the Local Government Act didn’t appear to give council the discretionary power not to rate the properties, the matter should be refered to Minister for Local Government, Richard Wynne, so he could consider an exemption, based on the precedence that has taken place over the past 40 years.

Cr O’Neill said she would contact Minister Wynne first thing today.

"I’ll be forwarding all the information I have and asking him to make a ministerial ruling on the issue," she said.

"I feel I should have a say in this decision making process but unfortunately, whatever I do as a councillor tonight, it isn’t going to make any difference."

Cr McInerney said it was not the role of councillors to put forward an opinion on whether to rate properties.

"Our role as council is to note a legal report," she said.

Cr Paino agreed, saying it was inevitable the rating of St John’s Village would begin.

"If it is governed that properties are rateable, we are charged with the responsibility of applying rates," he said.

"We just simply cannot say, we’re not going to rate you because we like you."