The topic of the new Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund remained hot during the June Casey council meeting, as the gallery clapped for Cr Shane Taylor.
Cr Taylor, initially speaking on the suite of corporate planning documents, said that while he acknowledges the “enormous amount of work that has gone into our suite of planning documents… I can’t stand by and ignore the elephant in the room”.
“The relentless cost of shifting from the State Government onto local councils and, by extension, onto our residents; frankly, that’s unacceptable.
“Let’s talk about the so-called emergency services fund levy; this is a state tax, plain and simple, but they’re using councils as their collection agency,” Cr Taylor said.
Casey’s mayor, Stefan Koomen, previously told Star News that while he sees the new ESVF as unfair, the new levy’s legal requirements mean that its implementation is all but guaranteed.
“We value the crucial role emergency services play in supporting our Casey communities; however, we believe this increased levy unfairly places further financial pressure on our community,” Koomen said then.
“Undertaking this role places extra pressure on council resources, and we will continue to work with the state government and other stakeholders, including MAV, to ensure a smooth implementation within our community.”
Cr Taylor had some strong statements regarding the new levy, adding that while the new charge will be present in every Casey resident’s notice, “not a single dollar stays in Casey”.
“The state claims it’s for vital emergency services, but the reality is it’s just another way to pad their coffers while families here struggle to keep up with skyrocketing bills and grocery prices,” he said.
He added that it’s “tone deaf”, considering that many are struggling, and that Victoria and Australia, as a whole, are experiencing a cost-of-living crisis.
This development comes as the inner-Melbourne council of the City of Yarra and its mayor, Stephen Jolly, recently said to the Herald Sun that the city is actively pursuing legal avenues in order to oppose the ESVF.
The new levy is set to replace the old Fire Services Property Levy (FSPL) on 1 July, meaning residents will have to pay almost double the variable rates under the new levy.
For residential properties, the median range will grow by more than 30 per cent from $191 to $254.
Neighbouring LGAs, Cardinia Shire and Greater Dandenong, have both stated that they will not be joining the ESVF’s boycott, and that like Casey, will be applying the rates as they come into effect next month.
Cr Taylor, in continuation, highlighted that Victoria’s landfill levy has also soared, “adding millions to our waste management costs”, which are costs that “fall squarely on local ratepayers”.
He also went on to say that the upcoming mandated four-bin system, which he referred to as “an unfunded directive”, is “costing us millions more”.
“While Casey is experiencing record growth in demand for services like maternal and child health, state funding is nowhere near where it’s needed,” he said.
Despite the added costs, however, Cr Taylor did add that Casey itself is in a healthy financial position, and that the council continues to invest in key infrastructure such as roads, parks and kindergartens.
“We’re doing everything we can to minimise and lessen the impact of these state-imposed costs,” he said.
“But let’s be clear, our community deserves better from the state government; we need real support, real solutions, not more financial burdens disguised as gold.”
