Cessnock’s new Mayor is barely a year in — 13 months to be exact — and already he’s reaching into your wallet. The line from council? Blame the previous lot. Remember last year’s headlines? “Cessnock Has Cash to Splash”. Fast forward 13 months, and suddenly the city’s broke. Where did all that cash go? Don’t hold your breath waiting for an answer. Meanwhile, council has 400 staff on the books. Four. Hundred. Cut half tomorrow, and services wouldn’t skip a beat. Instead, council never looks inward — no belt-tightening, no cuts, just a hand stretched toward your bank account. And now the...