Growth-area councils fear the burden of high fire service levies
on commercial and industrial properties in CFA-managed areas will drive
businesses out of their municipalities.
The Interface Councils Group, comprising 10 councils, including
Wyndham, has written to Premier Denis Napthine and Treasurer Michael
O’Brien, protesting the use of higher levy rates in CFA areas compared
with MFB municipalities.
The commercial rate in CFA areas is 109.2 cents per $1000 of
capital improved value, compared to the MFB rate of 60.7 cents.
Industrial properties in CFA areas are charged 170.9 cents, while their
MFB counterparts pay 95 cents.
The group’s spokesman, Mornington Peninsula councillor David Gibb,
said businesses in some municipalities were paying MFB rates while
those across the road paid the higher CFA rate.
In Wyndham, businesses in Williams Landing, Laverton North and
pockets of Point Cook are serviced by the MFB. The rest of the
municipality is in CFA territory.
Cr Gibb said CFA-serviced businesses were at a commercial disadvantage.
Wyndham mayor Heather Marcus said businesses forced to pay higher fire service levies were struggling.
Cr Marcus said she had heard of businesses whose levies had
increased 400 per cent since changes to the system were introduced in
July.
“It is not fair to the commercial and industrial owners,’’ she
said. ‘‘I have heard of one bill rising from $3000 to $7000. People
cannot cope with this burden.”
Margaret Giofches, who rents out a shop in Werribee, said her fire
service levy bill had increased by about $700. She said she was worried
about the impact of higher levies.
A spokeswoman for Mr O’Brien said the rate applied in CFA areas
“reflect the larger CFA budget and its coverage right across regional
Victoria”.
