WODONGA ratepayers could be left to foot the entire cost of a $1 million artwork given a comment from a Labor MP in State Parliament recently.
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Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins mentioned “dodgy artworks” as part of the justification for introducing rate capping in 2016-17.
Tenders have closed for the artwork valued at up to $1 million in Wodonga’s soon to be completed urban square.
Wodonga Council has $600,000 set aside in its budget for the artwork and the state government has been mentioned as a potential source of the balance of the money.
The artwork has created a furore among ratepayers and was the major catalyst for a residents’ meeting organised by former councillor and mayor Ian Deegan.
Ms Hutchins said in Parliament: “This will be a new, fairer rates capping system that will allow councils to continue to raise revenue to deliver essential services, not the dodgy artworks or the tin cows up trees that we have seen over the last few years.
“We are delivering on our promises, and we are proud of this policy.
“I have been overwhelmed over the summer period by the number of emails and calls that have come into my office from ratepayers across the state congratulating us on our policy and asking us to get to work straight away in implementing it.
“That is exactly what we are doing.”
A spokesperson for Ms Hutchins said this week the government remained committed to the introduction of rate-capping.
“As committed before the election, the Andrews Labor Government will require all councils to cap their rate increases at inflation, from 2016-17,” the spokesperson said.
“It’s a policy we took to the election, and it’s a policy that will give ratepayers a fair go.