Merivale ratepayers should pay—society

Press, 17 January 1986, Page 4

Merivale ratepayers should pay—society

The Merivale Precinct Society recommended last evening that its members pay their rates. The society executive decided a further public meeting on the issue was not yet necessary. It would first recommend to Merivale residents that they pay the full amount of last year’s rates, but not any penalties that have been incurred during the protest.

“We felt there had been some progress made with the City Council,” said the chairman of the society, Mr Kim Pettengell. “The council has agreed the rates are too high, and basically it is very difficult legally not to

pay rates.” Mr Pettengell said the society’s fight against high rates had not ended. “The issue is not over. We will continue to fight to ensure things such as capital rating are installed and council expenditure investigated,” he said. “There will probably be some residents who still do not want to pay their rates, and that is fair enough.” The final payment date for the last rate instalment of the 1985-86 year for Merivale residents is February 15.

The , ratepayers, along with residents of Sumner and Mt Pleasant, were

angered at the increase in their rate bills after the five-yearly valuation, and late last year began a rates revolt against • the City Council.

The Merivale society and the Sumner-Mt Pleasant Rates Action Committee advised residents to pay no more in rates than last year’s sum plus 10 per cent. The council estimates it has up to $360,000 in outstanding rates. Spokesmen for the Mt Pleasant committee could not be reached last evening. The final rates payment date for the area is March 15.