Rates and taxes levied by any level of government are not user pays. Rates and taxes are a pool of money for the good of the majority. 

Indeed it could be argued that pensioners for example pay less and proportionally receive, or have made available, more benefits and services for the rates and taxes paid. Are we all to have a say on every council decision based on what we pay and what we use? 

Many people outside Ulladulla may not be interested in the improvements there, for example. I, for one, will not be swimming in the Nowra pool.

This kind of argument, however, is very divisive and does not serve the community. It is based on and encourages negative feelings of lack and of getting less. Is this what Cr Kitchener wants amongst individuals and wards? Divide and conquer?

The notion that the “car park view” at Huskisson is for the 800 or so residents is absurd. It is a delight for all who see it and whether Cr Kitchener is aware of it or not that view is commonly used as advertising and promotion for both tourism and real estate. Why would this be the case if it were not a drawcard to the area?

People do not just pass the view in a car. They get out and they spend on goods and services that in turn benefit the whole of the Shoalhaven. And no, Cr Kitchener, they are not going to say, “I had a great time in Huskisson sitting in Owen Street car park looking at a view”. They may instead say, “Wasn’t it beautiful, let’s go back next year. We know what development looks like and this is different”.

The population of the Shoalhaven, according to the council website, is 96,000 and I would suggest to Cr Kitchener that your decisions, at a local council level, impact on all of these people whether or not they are one of the 55,000 who get to vote at council elections and possibly for you.

Many in the Shoalhaven realise the treasure that it is. The more it becomes like western Sydney, for example, or any other over-developed future slum, the less people will want to come and on a practical level the less Shoalhaven properties will be worth.

The ideas put forth by Cr Kitchener show the general problem with many in government these days. There is lack of commonsense, foresight and heart.

R. Roper,

Woollamia.