Whittlesea council has called for the state government to rescind the emergency services and volunteer fund (ESVF) levy and opposed collecting it on behalf of the government.
The levy was passed by state Parliament in the early hours of May 16 and will be used to fund emergency services and replaces the fire services levy. It will be collected via council rates notices.
A report to the May 20 Whittlesea council meeting stated that the levy would result in a payment increase of 98.9 per cent for residential properties, 64-100 per cent for commercial and industrial properties and 150 per cent for primary producers.
The government said there would exemptions and payment reductions for emergency services volunteers and farmers affected by drought.
Cr Blair Colwell labelled the levy as “manifestly unfair to residents” during a cost of living crisis.
“It is confusing and unjust that council is required to essentially collect this levy on behalf of the state government and leaves the community under the false impression that it is a council levy when it is not, it’s a state government levy,” he said.
Cr Lawrie Cox said he did not support the government “attaching an increase for services” through council’s rates notices.
“In fact, I would go as far as I think we should entertain creating a separate invoice as part of the rates notice to be collected by Fines Victoria, which is also another state government body, rather than being done through local government, where basically the blame will be laid at our feet for something that we have absolutely no control over,” he said.,
“Using us as the vehicle – as the collection agency – is totally not supported.”
Cr Christine Stow said the levy was coming at time when so many ratepayers were already struggling.
“I can’t support imposing this extra tax on our residents,” Cr Stow said.
“They’re already paying too much. They’re already broken.
“We speak often about the cost of living crisis and how tough it is out there, but then we’re asked to enforce a levy that makes it worse. We simply can’t do that.”
