No decrease proposed for Tullamore rates

A campaign looking to decrease rates charged by Tullamore Town Council looks to have fallen on deaf ears. The town council's draft budget for 2012 proposes no change in rates. Instead it looks to maintain the current general annual rate on valuation of 68.3305 and as a result reach a rate levy total of just over €3m. Speaking to the Offaly Independent however, Fianna Fáil town councillor and former Tullamore Chamber President Tony McCormack said he and his party colleagues will be looking for a four percent decrease in rates at next Thursday's budget meeting. Cllr McCormack said he acknowledges the fact that Tullamore Town Council has to balance its books and that there is a reduction in funding from central Government. However he said he will still be looking for a four percent cut in rates to make the town more competitive and as attractive as possible to incoming businesses. "Businesses out there are struggling at the moment," he said. "They've seen all the other costs related to their business come down but rates have stayed the same." The councillor, who is himself a businessman, said he would love to propose a larger rate cut but that would be too much for one year. He did say however that a rate reduction of four percent is "only a start". Going forward he said he would like to see a harmonisation of rates between Midland Gateway towns. A recent Tullamore Chamber rates campaign pointed at rates eleven percent lower than Tullamore in Athlone and a massive 19 percent lower in Mullingar. The same draft budget, which can be viewed on Tullamore Town Council's website, proposes several spending cuts. A public lighting allocation of €96,577 is suggested instead of last year's €101,514. It's proposed that street cleaning spending be reduced from €384,087 to €284,683. Spending on parks, pitches and open spaces is to go down from €299,221 to €214,216 while community grants are to be reduced from €20,000 to €9,000. The Tullamore Town Council budget meeting is scheduled to take place next Thursday, January 12 at 4pm in the town council offices.