Owners to attend special meeting

Bunbury business owners are expected to attend tonight’s special electors’ meeting, called because of concerns over the impact of significant rate rises.

The meeting will be held at Bunbury City Council’s chambers from 5.30pm.

A proposal to introduce a cap on rate rises for about 600 industrial and mixed-use businesses at 15 per cent will be on the agenda.

One of the speakers is businessman Alex Karatamoglou who said he was angered by comments from Deputy Mayor Brendan Kelly who described the cap as a “subsidy”.

Mr Karatamoglou said this was an “irresponsible statement”. “Small business in town is the heartbeat of the community, ” he said.

“It is a factor that needs to be taken into account. It (small businesses) needs to be nourished not put down.”

Cr Kelly has described rates as a tax and said “nobody likes paying taxes”.

“However, no one can argue intelligently that rates are unnecessary, ” he said.

“They are a vital source of community income and pay for the upkeep of the city and its services, for everyone.”

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