The next local government election is still 10 months away, but Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council is protesting at how much the State government intends to charge to run it.
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At its recent meeting, the council decided to ask a representative of the NSW Electoral Commission (NSWEC) to attend a council meeting to explain how it arrived at the "crazy" charge of $24 per person to cast a vote.
It also resolved to write to the member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, expressing how disappointed it was about the cost increases.
Council general manager Phil McMurray said the NSW government had promised in a media release in September that the cost per elector would be $8.21.
"And yet it has now presented us with an unbelievable cost estimate of $176,946, 44% more than we were charged in 2017," he said.
"If you assume that we have only 8,000 electors in Cootamundra-Gundagai, the Commission's charge is $24 per elector, which is crazy."
Mayor Abb McAlister agreed with Mr McMurray, pointing out in particular that the charge for staffing in the Electoral Commission's cost estimate was clearly excessive.
"If you work it out, even if you allowed $40,000 for two weeks operation of the pre-polling stations and three people per booth on the Saturday costing around $100,000 it should still only be $135,000 and yet they come up with a figure $42,000 higher," Cr McAlister said.
The motion to invite a representative of the NSWEC to explain the cost estimate was moved by Cr Penny Nicholson, who asked whether CGRC was being used as a scapegoat.
"Or is our local government area being averaged, and subsequently our prices have gone through the roof?" she asked.
Cr David Graham suggested, and the general manager agreed, that the letters to Ms Cooke and the Commission should include a reference to the promised cost per elector of $8.21.
The next local government elections in NSW are scheduled for September 12 2020.
Commenting later to Australian Community Media, Cr McAlister said it was unbelievable how much the government could cost shift.
"It will be the local residents who will miss out on things because of these increased charges," he said.
"You've got to work out where to take it out of - it will mean us not fixing up infrastructure or getting new infrastructure - the ratepayers will miss out."
Most of the 128 councils across NSW are in a similar predicament, with nearby cost increases including 81.5% in Weddin Shire, 35.7% at Hilltops, 31% at Cowra and 27.6% at Forbes.