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GREATER Taree City Council deputy mayor David West has justified the council decision to apply for a special rate variation, saying "we as a community need to decide what sort of community we want to be."
Cr West said that with "hundreds" of local councils jostling for state and federal assistance, it was important that Greater Taree found its own funding to fix road infrastructure in the area.
Council has the chance to do that when it submits an application this month to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal for an annual 6.9 per cent special rate rise for the next six years.
Cr West said that fixing the roads was key to business growth and employment in the Manning Valley.
"We need to look at what we want for our community," Cr West said.
"Do we want our children to stay here, do we want a university here in the future?
"It comes down to employment and growth which are tied in with our roads."
Cr West highlighted the difference between Manning Point and Harrington over the Christmas period as an indicator of the importance of good roads.
He said that Manning Point businesses such as the bowling club and two caravan parks both experienced a steep drop in business compared to the booming holiday period that Harrington enjoyed.
Harrington has had millions of dollars spent on its road redevelopment, while the Manning Point road suffers from regular flooding and a lack of maintenance, Cr West said.
It's not the only reason that the SRV was necessary, Cr West said.
Although there had been no time frame imposed, Cr West said local government still had the threat of State government "controllers" being installed if they could not become "financially fit."
The controllers duty is to make council financially viable by any means necessary said Cr West, meaning community services are often first in the firing line.
"Failure to provide roads funding means that the area goes backwards further," Cr West said.
lachlan.leeming@fairfaxmedia.com.au