Here We Go!

I noticed a post on the ABC News website that some people may have missed. I reproduce it below:

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Councils urged to raise rates
Posted 18 minutes ago

A report into local government finances says Queensland councils should consider borrowing more money and charging higher rates.
The report by consultant Alan Morton examines how councils could increase their revenue.
It found they should lift rates in line with costs to ensure services are not cut.

Greg Hallam from Queensland's Local Government Association says some councils have undercharged ratepayers.
"You've got to be able to maintain the assets," he said.
Mr Hallam says the report also shows councils could afford to borrow more money.
"There's an important point to be made that local government historically has probably been underweight," he said.
"We haven't had as much debt as we needed and there is an opportunity to borrow more.
"Now obviously in these current circumstances there will be some hesitancy towards that. Having said that, interest rates are at historic lows."

But Jill Lang from the Queensland Council of Social Service says she is worried rate increases will force rents up.
"It's the really low income people who suffer in these circumstances," she said.

The report also says the commercial and industrial sectors should carry more of the burden and debt is not a bad thing when properly managed.

It is being sent to all Queensland councils.

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Oh, really?
As if the buggers needed encouragement. This all our Logan Royal Family would need to offer up as an excuse for bleeding their miserable subjects even more. For instance, what’s the point of having a better (and more expensive) two bin recycle/waste system if we’re having trouble affording enough of the food packed inside the cardboard we are supposed to recycle.

So Mr. Hallam thinks our councils are underweight does he? If that’s the case, there must be a lot of skinny people around because our councillors look like very fat cats to me. It’s always the same isn’t it? As soon as the going gets tough there are always those who will make it tougher just so they don’t suffer themselves. The Community Services will feed off the Community until there is no Community to service. Robin fucking Hood stealing the beggars bowl to feed his own face.

And which dick-head put the bit in the report about “debt is not a bad thing when properly managed”? Well, so is bubonic plague not a bad thing when properly managed. As long as the important people can be protected, the plague will rid society of the poor and other welfare spongers like pensioners – this is a good thing.

Debt is not a bad thing? What the fuck does Alan Morton think got us into this financial mess – too much prudence? Debt is always a bad thing for those in debt and remember, it’s us that will be put in debt by a council prone to squandering and quite frankly I wouldn’t trust Logan Council with my grand daughters piggy bank.

Oh, I can hear the fiscally aware trotting out all the super-complicated reasons why debt is an important part of our evolving capitalist system but that would be totally missing the point. Debt is gambling. At its worst it is gambling with lives. At best it is the dalliance of the morally bankrupt.

Okay, these days debt may be a necessary fiscal tool but it is a tool that should be used with extreme caution; or it will take your fucking hand off.