Councillors have expressed outrage at the state government's plans to increase the emergency services levy by 23.6 per cent in the new financial year.
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Embedded within the council's rates and insurance premiums, the new costs will require $47,756.51 to be added to the council's budget.
The costs will go towards compensation payouts for emergency professionals with work-related cancers. But concern was expressed over the envisioned burden on ratepayers.
It is a concern shared by Local Government NSW President Cr Linda Scott.
"The NSW government's decision to pass on significantly increased costs to councils and communities via their rates will mean councils need to make a difficult choice about which vital services they reduce or discontinue for their communities," she said in a statement.
Cr Scott also expressed disapproval that the state's 128 councils were "not informed or consulted about the NSW government's decision to fund these changes via the emergency services levy."
Junee's Cr David Carter declared a motion at Tuesday's council meeting, outlining his ambition to have the town's disapproval formally recognised.
As each local government area will be slugged with additional costs beginning July 1, Cr Carter suggested rallying the Riverina Joint Organisation and Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation of Councils (REROC).
"This equates to nearly half our rate increase. In rough figures, our government is providing 11.7 per cent of the overall fire service levy. In the first letter that came from the Treasury, it indicated that $17 million was being raised and $14 million is going to the workers' compensation fund. If you take that a bit further, the state government wins," Cr Carter said.
The state member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, has also confirmed her concerns over its timing.
"The increase in the emergency services levy has come at a time when council budgets have been set, so this increase is an unexpected cost and has, not surprisingly, come as a shock to many local councils," she said.
"I understand that this additional and unexpected cost will have financial implications for Junee Shire Council and all other councils in this electorate, and I intend to discuss the matter with all relevant government ministers," the local member said.