Behind the figures: Johnston addresses the funding critics
Winston Johnston: $20 million doesn’t go that far with all of the maintenance work that has to be carried out in Div 5.
MORE money has been spent in Division 5 than has been generated in rates during the past four years, according to Councillor Winston Johnston.
Speaking at a meet the candidates event in Woombye, Cr Johnston said a councillor had to work hard to get a fair share of money for their division.
“There’s been a few suggestions that you’re not getting your dollars worth out of the council,” he said. “The reality of the situation is that there’s $297 million worth of rates generated in this local authority, not a billion. The billion is the total budget.
“Two hundred and ninety-seven million dollars, of which division five generates just short of $20 million a year but when you divide that $20 million between all of the maintenance work that has to be carried out on roads, parks, streets, look-outs, cemeteries and everything else, as well as high contribution towards the administration, it doesn’t leave a hell of a lot.”
He said twice the rates income had been spent in Division 5 in last year and two-and-a-half times this year.
“That only comes when you work really hard with the people in the council and also your fellow councillors and the mayor to make sure that you get your fair share”.
Cr Johnston said money had been spent at two Palmwoods sports facilities; rectifying dangerous carparking at Chevallum State School; fixing dangerous corners on Hunchy Road and Citrus Road; sealing gravel roads around Ilkley; and was being spent this year in Maleny, where he said residents felt the railway towns had been favoured.
He was proud of what he had achieved during this term in council, three previous terms, and though his work with community groups.
“My history is looking after people. I had a business where I looked after people, too, so I hope that you allow me to do so again,” he said.
Readers Question on ‘unsealed roads’
Denise asked: There are currently about 660 kilometres of unsealed roads in the Sunshine Coast Council area and less than 1 percent of Council’s $1billion budget is allocated to upgrading them (0.56%). Do you agree more should be spent on this most basic infrastructure?
Cr Johnston’s answer:
Yes I agree. There is currently less than 600 kilometres of gravel roads in our local authority. The $1 billion budget is made up of approximately $500 million revenue and $500 million expenditure. General rate revenue is $297 million, wages and on-costs $167 million.
The current budget for sealing gravel roads is $5.6 million, up from $3.6 million by the last council. Your rural councillors are working with council officers and other councillors to substantially increase the annual expenditure during the next term of council. I constantly work to deliver value to hinterland communities and ratepayers. Division 5 has received substantially more funding than rates collected during my tenure. During the next term your rural councillors will need to work closely with council officers and fellow councillors to deliver comparable services in the hinterland.