ST HELIER ratepayers are in for a windfall soon - nine out of ten rates bills are likely to fall.
The parish administration is to propose a 30% reduction in the rate at the annual rates assembly on 14 July.
That means bills should fall in real terms on last year’s levels, and States tenants will be among the biggest gainers with bills falling 12%.
It is a far cry from two years ago, when town ratepayers were so angry with the administration that they forced the rate down to such an extent that the parish faced going into the red.
But since then the Constable, Simon Crowcroft, has cut management posts and reduced Town Hall expenditure.
The wage bill alone has fallen £500,000, and in his third year in charge Mr Crowcroft is passing on the benefits to parishioners.
The parish is substantially better off, too, because of the decision by all the parish Constables to scrap the repair allowance which landlords used to receive automatically off their rates bills, and also because of the States’ approval of the capping of the parish welfare bill.
Article posted on 30th June, 2004 - 12.00am
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