Call For Payment Of Outstanding Amount

When I received my LHPA bill last April, I had never heard of the Bull Report or the IMC Report but I certainly could recognise an unacceptable increase in my rates; from $69.65 last year to $120.15 this year.  Not knowing what I now know, I decided to make a payment equal to last year's billed amount and leave an amount of $50.50 outstanding.

I finally received the following letter from the Mid Coast LHPA General Manager a couple of days ago concerning this outstanding amount.

My reply to this letter was as follows:

94 Youngs Road

Wingham NSW 2429

24 September 2009

General Manager

Mid Coast LHPA

15 Isabella Street

Wingham NSW 2429

Dear Mr Matts

In response to your letter of 22 September 2009, I can provide some clarification as follows.

The "umbrella of a legislative framework" to which you refer is, in my opinion, a gross miscarriage of government that has imposed a grave injustice on the small landholders of NSW. In conscience, I cannot and will not bow to the will of an unprincipled NSW Government that has, during this term of government, earned the contempt of the vast majority of people in NSW. The fact that the interim Mid Coast LHPA Board acted within the law in imposing their excessive rates increases does not mean that they acted justly or fairly. Even the Honourable (sic) Ian Macdonald reportedly admitted that excessive increases were due to the "poor judgement" of some boards.

My part payment ($69.65) of LHPA rates was intended to provide an amount that might possibly be justifiable. Even that amount represents a 15.8% compound annual increase over the seven years that I have been paying such rates ($24.85 in 2002), an increase that cannot be explained by any perceptible increase in delivered services nor by inflation as the CPI has been less than 3% compound over the period.

As for the outstanding amount ($50.50), I will pay this amount when I receive a satisfactory explanation of:

1. Why the interim Mid Coast LHPA Board set the base rate charge at $60, instead of $40 or $50, as allowed by the Bull Report, 
2. Why my rates, even excluding the $17.80 pest insect special rate, have increased at a 22.4% annual compound rate over the last seven years, and 
3. What actions are proposed by the new Mid Coast LHPA Board to compensate for the "poor judgement" of the interim Mid Coast LHPA Board in setting the excessive rates during 2009.
   

Your letter cautioned that my outstanding amount is liable for interest payments but failed to indicate the interest rate applicable. It would provide a greater impression of candour and transparency to me and other recipients of your letter if the applicable interest rate were to be clearly indicated. The lack of this information prevents the possibility of properly taking this factor into account and leaves the impression of a secretive and furtive bureaucracy.

Yours faithfully,

D. Lloyd Seaton