There have recently been two letters to this paper complaining about rural people paying more rates to build a water treatment plant (S.Hawkins and T.Jakeman).
They are perhaps unaware that in a typical year people in the Gympie/Southside water and sewer scheme not only subsidise the small-town schemes, they subsidise the entire council.
Every year the water and sewerage unit pays a “dividend” of about $6 million to the rest of the council.
This disappears into general revenue to pay for roads, parks, libraries etc.
Most road and bridge expenditure is spent in rural areas.
As a rural ratepayer I know that my rates, and all rural rates, are heavily subsidised by the people in Gympie paying water and sewerage charges.
The rates Mr Hawkins, Mr Jakeman and I pay would have been up to 10 per cent higher but for the water and sewerage unit surplus.
In fact, one reason for the current capital needs for water and sewerage is, I have argued in the past, due to the water and sewerage unit paying too much dividend, and not maintaining and upgrading water and sewer infrastructure more.
I agree with Mr Hawkins in his concern about the current council blaming the council before the council before now, and even the council before that.
Every council (every individual) finds it easier to spend money than earn it.
– Dan Stewart
East Deep Creek
