As you are aware Mayor Regan and a majority of councillors are supporting yet another rate rise for long suffering Northern Beaches ratepayers. This rate rise is contained in the council budget documents which are soon to go out for public comment.

This rate rise totally contradicts what every other level of government is doing in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

One of the main arguments being put forward by the councillors who are pushing this 2.6% rate rise is that ratepayers on the Northern Beaches are used to absorbing these increases and they will not complain or even notice. These councillors seem to be unaware of the hardship being caused by COVID-19. Another argument being put forward is that people with multiple properties can pay more. Are these councillors not aware that many landlords have been hit hard by tenants not being able to pay rent? Are they also not aware of the fact that there has been a significant reduction in rents across the board?

Tomorrow night an urgent and extraordinary council meeting has been called so that councillors can further debate the budget document. The Mayor has been forced to take this action due to a rescission motion on the budget being lodged by Councillors Amon, De Luca and myself.

Given the involvement and outstanding response by both the Federal and State Government to the COVID-19 crisis the issues mentioned above clearly have Federal and State implications. Accordingly I ask for your public support for those Councillors opposing this Northern Beaches Council rate rise.

We need your help. As you are aware, the Mayor has substantial council resources at his disposal. 

This rate rise is a heartless and lazy response to the council COVID-19 budget crisis and it must be stopped. There are other options which I and other like-minded councillors will vigorously pursue.

Cr Pat Daley OAM
Manly Ward
Northern Beaches Council