A series of Shellharbour City Council media releases that tell of dire consequences if a forecast funding shortfall is not addressed has been labelled "outrageous" and "tacky" by two councillors opposed to the proposed rate rises.
Last month Shellharbour councillors endorsed a proposal for a series of rate rises that could add about $400 to the average rates bill by 2016-17.
One of the media releases, attributed to the council's community connections group manager Kathryn Baget-Juleff, warns that plans to significantly increase wheelchair access to key public facilities within the Shellharbour LGA will be shelved unless additional funding can be sourced.
MORE: Councillors support Shellharbour rate rise
Another release from the council's property and recreation manager Donna Flanagan says the funding shortfall could trigger a "sporting crisis", saying the future viability of Shellharbour's 62 sporting clubs is in jeopardy unless funds for maintaining the existing infrastructure can be raised.
A failure to maintain sporting facilities could lead to "serious health implications", Ms Flanagan warned.
Meantime, the council's assets and project manager Graham Standen also warned the looming budget shortfall is set to severely impact drainage and stormwater management within the LGA.
Cr Peter Moran, who said the rate rises equate to a compound increase of 44 per cent over four years, said the media releases were an attempt by staff to subvert proper processes.
Cr Moran said it is not up to staff, but up to councillors, to make decisions on where money is spent.
"Council may well decide to move resources to cover shortfalls ... if it is about wheelchair access, we can take money from somewhere else. I am outraged by these press releases."
Former mayor Kellie Marsh said the media releases gave the impression the "sky is falling in".
"A number of things have been stated and these things won't happen," Cr Marsh said.
"We have a number of things we can do, including sourcing federal and state government funding."