As a land owner of non urban blocks in North Arm Cove and Pindimar I am sick of paying rates year after year (literally decades) to have absolutely no hope of ever seeing rezoning or substantial improvement in these areas. Why hasn't the council been putting aside a portion of the very substantial income it receives from non urban blocks to plan for the future. I wonder what the balance sheet would show after taking these rates out of the equation? By now it should have had funds to set aside land for conservation and be looking into infrastructure to develop the area to its potential. Say what you like about Port Stephens Council but I am continually seeing notifications about rezoning and improvement which will in the end result in a growing, vibrant region. Great Lakes is responsible fleecing and killing off the dreams of many honest hard working people who invested what they could into the area believing that such a beautiful spot had to be rezoned one day.
michael - 9 years ago
john
GLC only survives from collecting millions in rates from non urban land owners. MILLIONS. This will change soon.
GLC only survives because their infrastructure is in tatters. I could be debt free if I didnt service my car or maintain my house. GLC had several bridges in urgent need of replacing - they were beyond repair - that were washed away in a flood a few years back and got federal funding to replace them otherwise they would have been several million worse off. Port Stephens is booming with companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing investing billions and creating thousands of jobs. Neither the state or federal government is interested in GLC as they know they have no future.
Try looking at the state government treasury reports available on line ( TCorp ) and you will see that GLC is worse off than Port Stephens. GLC had the bulk of its money over the last 10 years locked in returning 6-8%. that finished a while back and the days of getting good returns are gone. GLC will start to deteriorate rapidly whilst Port Stephens will continue to thrive and boom. Companies are lining up to get into Port Stephens - you cant even get a gtradesperson in GLC.
I would like to see details of this debt Port Stephens has that GLC doesnt. Is that why GLC doesnt have the funds to even supply a shelter on the jetty at tea gardens that is falling apart?
Why would 88% of local voters want their Council to be merged with Port Stephens whose DEBT is the highest on the coast. Why would we want to take on their massive financial failure to live within their income ??.
Best thing we can hope for is that GLC council is MERGED out of business , but Please : not with Port Stephens which is carrying so much dent. Surely we can better than that. Lets try TAREE.
michael - 9 years ago
its your chance to speak up people. do you want another 25 years of massive rate increases. every tradesperson driven away and crumbling infrastructure? or do you want a modern vibrant town. Great Lakes Council have one priority and that is Forster and that will NEVER change. Great Lakes who are full of excuses and delaying tactics. The only way forward for the forgotten region of Great Lakes is to become one with Port Stephens
As a land owner of non urban blocks in North Arm Cove and Pindimar I am sick of paying rates year after year (literally decades) to have absolutely no hope of ever seeing rezoning or substantial improvement in these areas. Why hasn't the council been putting aside a portion of the very substantial income it receives from non urban blocks to plan for the future. I wonder what the balance sheet would show after taking these rates out of the equation? By now it should have had funds to set aside land for conservation and be looking into infrastructure to develop the area to its potential. Say what you like about Port Stephens Council but I am continually seeing notifications about rezoning and improvement which will in the end result in a growing, vibrant region. Great Lakes is responsible fleecing and killing off the dreams of many honest hard working people who invested what they could into the area believing that such a beautiful spot had to be rezoned one day.
john
GLC only survives from collecting millions in rates from non urban land owners. MILLIONS. This will change soon.
GLC only survives because their infrastructure is in tatters. I could be debt free if I didnt service my car or maintain my house. GLC had several bridges in urgent need of replacing - they were beyond repair - that were washed away in a flood a few years back and got federal funding to replace them otherwise they would have been several million worse off. Port Stephens is booming with companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing investing billions and creating thousands of jobs. Neither the state or federal government is interested in GLC as they know they have no future.
Try looking at the state government treasury reports available on line ( TCorp ) and you will see that GLC is worse off than Port Stephens. GLC had the bulk of its money over the last 10 years locked in returning 6-8%. that finished a while back and the days of getting good returns are gone. GLC will start to deteriorate rapidly whilst Port Stephens will continue to thrive and boom. Companies are lining up to get into Port Stephens - you cant even get a gtradesperson in GLC.
I would like to see details of this debt Port Stephens has that GLC doesnt. Is that why GLC doesnt have the funds to even supply a shelter on the jetty at tea gardens that is falling apart?
Why would 88% of local voters want their Council to be merged with Port Stephens whose DEBT is the highest on the coast. Why would we want to take on their massive financial failure to live within their income ??.
Best thing we can hope for is that GLC council is MERGED out of business , but Please : not with Port Stephens which is carrying so much dent. Surely we can better than that. Lets try TAREE.
its your chance to speak up people. do you want another 25 years of massive rate increases. every tradesperson driven away and crumbling infrastructure? or do you want a modern vibrant town. Great Lakes Council have one priority and that is Forster and that will NEVER change. Great Lakes who are full of excuses and delaying tactics. The only way forward for the forgotten region of Great Lakes is to become one with Port Stephens