COUNCILS will not be able to charge certain landowners and businesses at higher rates under new guidelines released last Monday.
Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell was given the power last year to overrule councils' discretion to charge some landowners or businesses extra. She said "several councils have employed significant creativity and stretched their differential rates powers to pursue social policy objectives."
"Yarra Ranges mayor Jim Child said his council was "flying neutral" on the issue. He said differential rates was more of an issue for rural residents in the shire. "Rural constituents have asked, 'Why should we have to pay for footpaths and the like when we don't use them?'," he said. "But what do they do when they come into town, walk around the side? There have been tense discussions in the past when retirement homes have applied for differential [lower] rates but have been knocked back by council.""
Comment: The way rates are calculated must be an issue for discussion. The present system is not fair.
No comments:
Post a Comment