Discount continues for farm properties

Farmers will continue to gain a 20 per cent discount on their rates this year.

However, commercial and industrial properties as well as residential development land will attract a 30 per cent surcharge.

Vacant land owners will continue to be slugged an 80 per cent surcharge.

A 10 per cent discount will apply to urban living zoned properties.

The draft revenue and rating plan released by Baw Baw Shire last week shows council will continue to apply a differential rating system with no change to last year.

A pensioner rebate of $50, in addition to the state government rebate, will continue.

More than $60 million will be raised in rate revenue this year. When combined with waste and other charges, it represents 57 per cent of council’s annual income.

Residential rates will represent just under 68 per cent of council’s rates income, with 23,467 ratepayers paying $41 million in rates, 8.49 per cent more than last year.

A total of 2404 farmers will contribute $9.9 million to the rates pool - $1 million more than last year, while 1706 commercial and industrial ratepayers will contribute $5.2 million.

Vacant land owners have dropped from 1686 last year to 1353 this year. They will contribute $2.9 million.

Urban living properties have also dropped more than 42 per cent to 71 properties and will pay $626,000.

A total of 17 residential development properties will pay $540,000.

The rating plan offers a 100 per cent rebate to 13 sport and community organisations in the shire, at a total value of $47,482. This is an increase of almost 22 per cent on last year.

The cultural and recreation land rebate applies to bowling clubs at Drouin, Longwarry, Neerim District, Thorpdale, Trafalgar, Trafalgar Park, Warragul and Yarragon, golf clubs at Drouin and Trafalgar, Garfield Wattle Raceway/Drouin Speedway, Moe Field and Game and Angling Club, and Warragul Drouin Pistol Club.

Warragul Country Club will receive a 47 per cent rebate on its rates, valued at $28,528.

Council has moved away from a lump sum payment and supports an instalment rate payment system. Like last year, rate payment is to be split over four instalments, with payments due by the end of September, November, February and May .

However, ratepayers who choose to pay their rates in full via a single payment by September 30, will go into the draw for a $1000 early bird prize.

The rating plan also includes a financial hardship policy for residents which allow flexible payment arrangements or interest waived if ratepayers meet the criteria. However, rates would still accrue.

Cr Joe Gauci said the vacant land surcharge was a “very sore point”.

“I’ve argued against that for the last eight years I think, and got nowhere with that argument,” Cr Gauci said of these land owners being charged 1.8 times the rateable amount in a dollar.