September 11, 2013
Greens spokesman Grant Newson is urging ratepayers to take a stand against the South Burnett Regional Council’s $200 road levy, claiming it is discriminating against some ratepayers.
“I urge people that have more than one rates notice to only pay this ridiculous levy once and only once, if they must,” Mr Newson said today.
Mr Newson, who stood for The Greens in Maranoa at the recent Federal Election, said Council had discriminated against people that have more than one rates notice by imposing the levy on each notice.
“Ratepayers in rural areas who have more than one property and receive multiple rate notices only have to pay the levy once,” he said.
“People who have combined multiple properties onto one notice only have to pay this levy once.
“If you are fortunate enough to own more than one property, vacant or not, and receive a rates notice for each lot, then you are forced to pay this levy for each rate notice you receive.
“This is discrimination and a money grab for Council. Only pay it once.
“It is disgraceful that a Council that supported the current State Government and now Federal Government is complaining that their funding has been slashed and impose such a cost onto local residents.”
Mr Newson said families were already struggling to keep their financial head above water.
“We are not the place (for Council) to get their extra boost from, especially with double or more dipping from ratepayers on this matter,” he said.
“Funding will be slashed even further now, so will we all have another levy to fund the sewerage upgrade soon? Probably, even though rural people don’t utilise this service.”
- Related article: Road Levy Revolt ‘Unlikely’
