NORTH Arm resident Jim O’Regan believes the State Government should be doing more to help Tweed Shire Council.

Mr O’Regan, a pensioner himself, agreed with Mayor Kevin Skinner’s comments that pensioners were imposing an unfair burden on ratepayers.

“We have more retired people in this area than anywhere else in the State,” Mr O’Regan said.

“A lot of people come here after spending their working lives paying rates elsewhere.

“They overburden the system.”

Mr O’Regan, who turns 73 next week, said people had every right to spend their retirement in the area.

“But this shire should get some recognition for that,” he said.

“They should get something from the State Government.”

Mr O’Regan has lived in the shire for almost 40 years and is a Murwillumbah Residents and Ratepayers Association committee member.

The most memorable rate rise for Mr O’Regan was in 1999.

“They raised rates by eight per cent to cover the costs of fixing computers because of the millennium bug. It turned out it was nothing and they never took it off.”

But he added Tweed’s rates were still low.

“They were about $570 for rural land when I first moved here and now they’re about $800,” Mr O’Regan said.

“But there’s no services. I don’t get water or garbage collection, however I’m required to contribute for garbage collection because of the infill costs.”

But he said the Tweed Shire had good roads.