Cessnock Council is at it again. They’ve rolled out the glossy “financial sustainability” spiel, complete with videos from an “independent expert,” all designed to lay the groundwork for a Special Rate Variation—aka a stealth tax hike on residents. But let’s not kid ourselves: this is nothing more than a blatant cash grab. At previous meetings, residents were repeatedly told that Council’s financial position was stable. Yet here we are, being told we need to pay more, ostensibly because Council can’t make ends meet. If their finances were stable before, why the sudden need to raid ratepayers’ pockets now? And before they ask...