Publisher 90

UPDATE 15 AUGUST 2020: RoPP campaign successful in delaying new Bin Tax

We are pleased to see that the Bin Tax will not be introduced this financial year, according to Port Phillip’s updated web page.

Thanks to all for your help with our Bin Tax campaign!

The best way to ensure your rates are reduced to be in line with neighbouring councils, is to vote for a RoPP endorsed candidate at the upcoming October election. We will be releasing the exciting news about our endorsed candidates soon, so stay tuned.

• At the 4th December 2019 Council meeting, a “Waste and Amenity levy” was proposed to address the waste crisis, forecasted to add $64 million over the next 10 years to Council’s “rate cap challenge”. RoPP spoke at that meeting in opposition to the new Tax, unless the Council could provide more information.
• We finally received a written response from the CEO on July 2nd 2020, confirming that Council were considering options of how to fund the Bin Tax, including the levy being additional to existing rates.
• Our poster and leaflet campaign to stop the Bin Tax commenced on 30th July 2020.
• Council’s website still detailed the impending Bin Tax. Now those details have been removed, replaced instead with a statement about the deferral.
• Why would Council remove the details from their website? As of writing this, the minutes of the 4th December 2019 Council meeting where the Bin Tax was voted on, are also no longer available on their website. Further, we have discovered that almost 20 years of Council meeting agendas & minutes have been removed in the last week.
• Please refer to the end of this webpage for details of the Essential Services Commission’s role in waste levies.

The facts and our transparency speak for themselves. The Council’s backdown on a new Bin Tax shows that our campaign has had an impact. Council have rightly recognised the harshness of introducing a new tax on top of the burden of existing rates, in a time of economic crisis.

Port Phillip Council is one of the highest spending councils in the state and are now proposing to introduce an additional Waste and Amenity levy on top of the exorbitant rates you already pay.
See https://ropp.org.au/fact-check-how-high-are-port-phillip-rates-compared-to-neighbouring-councils/

So in addition to a 2% increase to total rates collected this year (the maximum allowable under the State government’s rate cap system), you would have to pay a levy for ‘Waste and Amenity’, “A BIN TAX” on this fundamental service. This would severely impact both ratepayers and residents at a time when many have lost their livelihoods, incomes and ability to pay.

Council claims that the reason they need to charge a new levy is because waste costs are rising at a greater pace than inflation. There are two issues with this:

1. Waste management, a core service of council, only accounts for 5.3% of the Port Phillip budget[1], meaning that even if this component increased by 10% per year, the effect on the overall budget would only be around 1-1.2%, well within the 2% rate cap.

2. Competent management should be able to absorb this fundamental service easily, by forecasting these cost issues and re-prioritising their budget accordingly. Instead, the majority of the 2% increase in general rates will go towards wage rises for staff, which council has stubbornly refused to address (or even acknowledge).

Council wants to take the easy way out yet again, by charging ratepayers a new BIN TAX instead of doing the hard work necessary to manage the budget.

The waste and amenity levy (BIN TAX) would sit outside the 2% annual rate cap imposed by the Essential Services Commission. This gives council the option to increase the levy by whatever amount it wishes, and you can be sure it will – council will use the levy to fund its inability to manage its own budget. Council describes this inability to live within their own means the ‘rate capping challenge’.

IT’S A NEW TAX ON TOP OF YOUR EXISTING RATES

Councillors did not want to be held accountable at the ballot box for introducing a new tax this year, so have deferred its introduction until after the election. We are here to highlight the issue so that you have the chance to stop council by voting for an independent candidate that will vote against the BIN TAX and hold the council to account. Keep an eye on our website for an independent review of candidates running in the October election.

 We say:
1. ROPP does not support the introduction of a Waste and Amenity Levy in addition to the burden of existing rates. Council need to get the budget under control instead of taking the easy way out: a new Bin Tax

2. Now is not the time to impose new taxes on a struggling economy. It’s not fair and it needs to be stopped.

Essential Services Commission’s role in waste levies
Council can levy a new charge in addition to existing rates, just like two councils did in 2018-19. This is subject to the oversight of the Essential Services Commission, however Councils retain full autonomy to introduce new charges. Council can opt to introduce a waste levy in a revenue neutral way, reducing general rates by the same amount that the new levy raises. This is what Maribyrnong did in 2019-20.

As Port Phillip Council said themselves on the now removed ‘waste challenges’ webpage :
 “Council is also considering a proposal to introduce a waste and amenity levy, which would be a payment separate to Council rates to cover some, or all, of the costs incurred by council to deliver waste, recycling and cleansing services. This would enable Council to set a service rate or charge (levy) that’s in line with the true cost of the service.

Publisher 90

UPDATE 15 AUGUST 2020: RoPP campaign successful in delaying new Bin Tax

We are pleased to see that the Bin Tax will not be introduced this financial year, according to Port Phillip’s updated web page.

Thanks to all for your help with our Bin Tax campaign!

The best way to ensure your rates are reduced to be in line with neighbouring councils, is to vote for a RoPP endorsed candidate at the upcoming October election. We will be releasing the exciting news about our endorsed candidates soon, so stay tuned.

• At the 4th December 2019 Council meeting, a “Waste and Amenity levy” was proposed to address the waste crisis, forecasted to add $64 million over the next 10 years to Council’s “rate cap challenge”. RoPP spoke at that meeting in opposition to the new Tax, unless the Council could provide more information.
• We finally received a written response from the CEO on July 2nd 2020, confirming that Council were considering options of how to fund the Bin Tax, including the levy being additional to existing rates.
• Our poster and leaflet campaign to stop the Bin Tax commenced on 30th July 2020.
• Council’s website still detailed the impending Bin Tax. Now those details have been removed, replaced instead with a statement about the deferral.
• Why would Council remove the details from their website? As of writing this, the minutes of the 4th December 2019 Council meeting where the Bin Tax was voted on, are also no longer available on their website. Further, we have discovered that almost 20 years of Council meeting agendas & minutes have been removed in the last week.
• Please refer to the end of this webpage for details of the Essential Services Commission’s role in waste levies.

The facts and our transparency speak for themselves. The Council’s backdown on a new Bin Tax shows that our campaign has had an impact. Council have rightly recognised the harshness of introducing a new tax on top of the burden of existing rates, in a time of economic crisis.

Port Phillip Council is one of the highest spending councils in the state and are now proposing to introduce an additional Waste and Amenity levy on top of the exorbitant rates you already pay.
See https://ropp.org.au/fact-check-how-high-are-port-phillip-rates-compared-to-neighbouring-councils/

So in addition to a 2% increase to total rates collected this year (the maximum allowable under the State government’s rate cap system), you would have to pay a levy for ‘Waste and Amenity’, “A BIN TAX” on this fundamental service. This would severely impact both ratepayers and residents at a time when many have lost their livelihoods, incomes and ability to pay.

Council claims that the reason they need to charge a new levy is because waste costs are rising at a greater pace than inflation. There are two issues with this:

1. Waste management, a core service of council, only accounts for 5.3% of the Port Phillip budget[1], meaning that even if this component increased by 10% per year, the effect on the overall budget would only be around 1-1.2%, well within the 2% rate cap.

2. Competent management should be able to absorb this fundamental service easily, by forecasting these cost issues and re-prioritising their budget accordingly. Instead, the majority of the 2% increase in general rates will go towards wage rises for staff, which council has stubbornly refused to address (or even acknowledge).

Council wants to take the easy way out yet again, by charging ratepayers a new BIN TAX instead of doing the hard work necessary to manage the budget.

The waste and amenity levy (BIN TAX) would sit outside the 2% annual rate cap imposed by the Essential Services Commission. This gives council the option to increase the levy by whatever amount it wishes, and you can be sure it will – council will use the levy to fund its inability to manage its own budget. Council describes this inability to live within their own means the ‘rate capping challenge’.

IT’S A NEW TAX ON TOP OF YOUR EXISTING RATES

Councillors did not want to be held accountable at the ballot box for introducing a new tax this year, so have deferred its introduction until after the election. We are here to highlight the issue so that you have the chance to stop council by voting for an independent candidate that will vote against the BIN TAX and hold the council to account. Keep an eye on our website for an independent review of candidates running in the October election.

 We say:
1. ROPP does not support the introduction of a Waste and Amenity Levy in addition to the burden of existing rates. Council need to get the budget under control instead of taking the easy way out: a new Bin Tax

2. Now is not the time to impose new taxes on a struggling economy. It’s not fair and it needs to be stopped.

Essential Services Commission’s role in waste levies
Council can levy a new charge in addition to existing rates, just like two councils did in 2018-19. This is subject to the oversight of the Essential Services Commission, however Councils retain full autonomy to introduce new charges. Council can opt to introduce a waste levy in a revenue neutral way, reducing general rates by the same amount that the new levy raises. This is what Maribyrnong did in 2019-20.

As Port Phillip Council said themselves on the now removed ‘waste challenges’ webpage :
 “Council is also considering a proposal to introduce a waste and amenity levy, which would be a payment separate to Council rates to cover some, or all, of the costs incurred by council to deliver waste, recycling and cleansing services. This would enable Council to set a service rate or charge (levy) that’s in line with the true cost of the service.

Publisher 90

UPDATE 15 AUGUST 2020: RoPP campaign successful in delaying new Bin Tax

We are pleased to see that the Bin Tax will not be introduced this financial year, according to Port Phillip’s updated web page.

Thanks to all for your help with our Bin Tax campaign!

The best way to ensure your rates are reduced to be in line with neighbouring councils, is to vote for a RoPP endorsed candidate at the upcoming October election. We will be releasing the exciting news about our endorsed candidates soon, so stay tuned.

• At the 4th December 2019 Council meeting, a “Waste and Amenity levy” was proposed to address the waste crisis, forecasted to add $64 million over the next 10 years to Council’s “rate cap challenge”. RoPP spoke at that meeting in opposition to the new Tax, unless the Council could provide more information.
• We finally received a written response from the CEO on July 2nd 2020, confirming that Council were considering options of how to fund the Bin Tax, including the levy being additional to existing rates.
• Our poster and leaflet campaign to stop the Bin Tax commenced on 30th July 2020.
• Council’s website still detailed the impending Bin Tax. Now those details have been removed, replaced instead with a statement about the deferral.
• Why would Council remove the details from their website? As of writing this, the minutes of the 4th December 2019 Council meeting where the Bin Tax was voted on, are also no longer available on their website. Further, we have discovered that almost 20 years of Council meeting agendas & minutes have been removed in the last week.
• Please refer to the end of this webpage for details of the Essential Services Commission’s role in waste levies.

The facts and our transparency speak for themselves. The Council’s backdown on a new Bin Tax shows that our campaign has had an impact. Council have rightly recognised the harshness of introducing a new tax on top of the burden of existing rates, in a time of economic crisis.

Port Phillip Council is one of the highest spending councils in the state and are now proposing to introduce an additional Waste and Amenity levy on top of the exorbitant rates you already pay.
See https://ropp.org.au/fact-check-how-high-are-port-phillip-rates-compared-to-neighbouring-councils/

So in addition to a 2% increase to total rates collected this year (the maximum allowable under the State government’s rate cap system), you would have to pay a levy for ‘Waste and Amenity’, “A BIN TAX” on this fundamental service. This would severely impact both ratepayers and residents at a time when many have lost their livelihoods, incomes and ability to pay.

Council claims that the reason they need to charge a new levy is because waste costs are rising at a greater pace than inflation. There are two issues with this:

1. Waste management, a core service of council, only accounts for 5.3% of the Port Phillip budget[1], meaning that even if this component increased by 10% per year, the effect on the overall budget would only be around 1-1.2%, well within the 2% rate cap.

2. Competent management should be able to absorb this fundamental service easily, by forecasting these cost issues and re-prioritising their budget accordingly. Instead, the majority of the 2% increase in general rates will go towards wage rises for staff, which council has stubbornly refused to address (or even acknowledge).

Council wants to take the easy way out yet again, by charging ratepayers a new BIN TAX instead of doing the hard work necessary to manage the budget.

The waste and amenity levy (BIN TAX) would sit outside the 2% annual rate cap imposed by the Essential Services Commission. This gives council the option to increase the levy by whatever amount it wishes, and you can be sure it will – council will use the levy to fund its inability to manage its own budget. Council describes this inability to live within their own means the ‘rate capping challenge’.

IT’S A NEW TAX ON TOP OF YOUR EXISTING RATES

Councillors did not want to be held accountable at the ballot box for introducing a new tax this year, so have deferred its introduction until after the election. We are here to highlight the issue so that you have the chance to stop council by voting for an independent candidate that will vote against the BIN TAX and hold the council to account. Keep an eye on our website for an independent review of candidates running in the October election.

 We say:
1. ROPP does not support the introduction of a Waste and Amenity Levy in addition to the burden of existing rates. Council need to get the budget under control instead of taking the easy way out: a new Bin Tax

2. Now is not the time to impose new taxes on a struggling economy. It’s not fair and it needs to be stopped.

Essential Services Commission’s role in waste levies
Council can levy a new charge in addition to existing rates, just like two councils did in 2018-19. This is subject to the oversight of the Essential Services Commission, however Councils retain full autonomy to introduce new charges. Council can opt to introduce a waste levy in a revenue neutral way, reducing general rates by the same amount that the new levy raises. This is what Maribyrnong did in 2019-20.

As Port Phillip Council said themselves on the now removed ‘waste challenges’ webpage :
 “Council is also considering a proposal to introduce a waste and amenity levy, which would be a payment separate to Council rates to cover some, or all, of the costs incurred by council to deliver waste, recycling and cleansing services. This would enable Council to set a service rate or charge (levy) that’s in line with the true cost of the service.

• Παρά το επιπλέον κόστος κάθε χρόνο βλέπουμε μια μείωση των υπηρεσιών στον δήμο
• Λιγότερη διαθεσιμότητα στάθμευσης
• Πιο ακριβά τέλη στάθμευσης και πρόστιμα
• Λωρίδες αγορών που γίνονται νεκρές ζώνες
• Αύξηση των αστέγων και των ναρκωτικών που επηρεάζονται στους δρόμους

• Αντιπροσωπεύστε την κοινότητα
• Προώθηση της δημοσιονομικής ευθύνης και
• Τα χρηματικά ποσά της ζήτησης χρησιμοποιούνται για τις τοπικές υπηρεσίες του Συμβουλίου και την άνεση

• βιώσιμο από οικονομική άποψη, έτσι οι κάτοικοι όλων των μέσων μπορούν να συνεχίσουν να ζουν στην υπέροχη κοινότητά μας
• και ότι βελτιώνουν τη βιωσιμότητα του προαστίου μας

• εκπροσωπήστε την κοινότητα
• προώθηση της δημοσιονομικής ευθύνης και
• απαιτούν να χρησιμοποιηθούν πολύτιμα κεφάλαια για τους τοπικούς συμβούλους

Λέμε - μειώστε τα επιτόκια για τους ηλικιωμένους, όχι να τους αναγκάσετε να βγουν από τα σπίτια τους ή να χρεωθούν.

Υπάρχουν πολλοί κάτοικοι στο Πορτ Φίλιπ, όπως η Τάνια*, που αντιμετωπίζουν τον εφιάλτη του Δήμου να τους απαιτεί υπέρογκες τιμές, γνωρίζοντας ότι με ένα μικρό σταθερό εισόδημα ή σύνταξη δεν θα μπορέσουν ποτέ να πληρώσουν. Στις περισσότερες περιπτώσεις, αυτοί οι κάτοικοι είναι απλώς τα αθώα θύματα της υπερβολικής δαπάνης των συμβουλίων και των δυσβάσταχτων τιμών.

Για παράδειγμα, το 1983, όταν ο Adrian αγόρασε το πρώτο του σπίτι στο Middle Park, οι τιμές ήταν 500 $ ετησίως. Τώρα είναι $5000, αλλά το επίπεδο των υπηρεσιών δεν έχει αυξηθεί σημαντικά. Η λύση του Δήμου σε αυτούς τους κατοίκους που αγωνίζονται είναι να υποθηκεύσουν την περιουσία τους στο δημοτικό συμβούλιο ή να πουλήσουν και να μετακομίσουν αλλού. Ο Δήμος έχει τότε μια προειδοποίηση για τα σπίτια τους.

Το άθλιο συμβούλιο «βοήθειας» παρέχει σε όσους έχουν συνταξιοδοτική κάρτα

https://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/council-services/rates-and-valuations/rates-concessions-and-rates-hardship-relief

Πολλοί συνταξιούχοι κάτοικοι στο Πορτ Φίλιπ είναι οπαδοί των κοινοτήτων τους. Πολλοί γεννήθηκαν και ανατράφηκαν στις περιοχές που ζουν τώρα και είναι περήφανοι που αποκαλούν τα προάστια μας πατρίδα. Όταν το δημοτικό συμβούλιο αυξάνει αδυσώπητα τα επιτόκια σε επίπεδα που δεν παρατηρούνται σε άλλα μέρη της Μελβούρνης, πρέπει να τεθούν ερωτήματα σχετικά με τη δικαιοσύνη ενός συστήματος τιμών που αναγκάζει τους ηλικιωμένους να ανατρέψουν υποθήκη τα σπίτια τους.

Το τρέχον υψηλό επίπεδο τιμών Port Phillip προσθέτει περιττό άγχος στους ηλικιωμένους μας σε μια ήδη αγχωτική χρονιά. Θέλουν απλώς να ζήσουν ήσυχα τη ζωή τους, με τα σταθερά εισοδήματά τους, στα σπίτια στα οποία μεγάλωσαν τις οικογένειές τους.

ΛΕΜΕ- δεν πρέπει να ανεχόμαστε αυτή την αποκρουστική μεταχείριση των ηλικιωμένων μας και απαιτούμε να μειωθούν τα ποσοστά για τους ηλικιωμένους. Ο Δήμος ξοδεύει εκατομμύρια κάθε χρόνο σε επιπόλαια ιδεολογικά εμπνευσμένα έργα που σπαταλούν εκατομμύρια από τα δολάρια μας και αυξάνουν μόνο την πίεση για όσους συνταξιοδοτούνται. Καθώς σχεδόν το 42% του συνόλου του εισοδήματος του Δήμου δαπανάται για την απασχόληση μεταξύ 800-900 δημοσίων υπαλλήλων του δήμου, πολύ περισσότερους από τα γειτονικά συμβούλια, ένας λόγος για τα υψηλά ποσοστά μας είναι προφανής. Πολλοί φαίνεται να υπάρχουν για να γράφουν ατελείωτα αναφορές και δεν εμπλέκονται άμεσα στην παροχή υπηρεσιών. Πρόκειται για μια τεράστια αυτοεξυπηρετούμενη γραφειοκρατία που έχει πολύ χώρο για αποτελεσματικότητα και βελτιωμένη παραγωγικότητα, ώστε να μπορούμε να φροντίζουμε καλύτερα τα ευάλωτα άτομα στην κοινότητά μας. Η πραγματική φιλανθρωπία θα πρέπει να ξεκινά με τους ηλικιωμένους πληρωτές μας που είναι επί μακρόν κάτοικοι της πόλης του Port Phillip.

Ντροπή στους Συμβούλους μας και στο Συμβούλιο μας που χρεώνουν τους κατοίκους μας.

*Η ιστορία της Tanya είναι αληθινή και έχει απήχηση σε όλο το Port Phillip, αλλά το όνομα και το πρόσωπό της άλλαξαν για να προστατεύσουν την ταυτότητά της. Ο Δήμος παρέχει στους συνταξιούχους τη δυνατότητα να αναβάλουν την πληρωμή των επιτοκίων τους έως ότου πουληθούν τα ακίνητά τους, οπότε εισπράττουν τα απλήρωτα επιτόκια συν τόκο 5% ετησίως, που είναι ουσιαστικά μια αντίστροφη υποθήκη.

Ο Δήμος δημοσίευσε το Σχέδιο Προϋπολογισμού 2021-22 για κοινοτική διαβούλευση. Εάν ανησυχείτε για το σχέδιο του Συμβουλίου να αυξήσει ξανά τα ποσοστά και δεν το έχετε κάνει ήδη, επικοινωνήστε με τους ακόλουθους συμβούλους και ζητήστε τους να μην αυξήσουν τα ποσοστά στον προϋπολογισμό 2021-22 όταν ψηφίσουν στην πρόταση της 23ης Ιουνίου.

• Cr Baxter
  Tim.Baxter@portphillip.vic.gov.au
  0466 495 250
• Cr Copsey
  Katherine.Copsey@portphillip.vic.gov.au
  0466 478 949
• Δήμαρχος Κρόφορντ
  Louise.Crawford@portphillip.vic.gov.au
  0466 514 643
• Κρ Κουνσόλο
  Heather.Cunsolo@portphillip.vic.gov.au
  0466 227 014
• Cr Martin
  Peter.Martin@portphillip.vic.gov.au
  0435 390 821

Μόνο τέσσερις σύμβουλοι δήλωσαν δημόσια ότι υποστηρίζουν το πάγωμα των τιμών. Αυτοί είναι:

• Cr Μποντ
  Andrew.Bond@portphillip.vic.gov.au
  0481 034 028
• Κρ Κλαρκ
  Rhonda.Clark@portphillip.vic.gov.au
  0435 098 738
• Cr Pearl
  Marcus.Pearl@portphillip.vic.gov.au
  0466 448 272
• Cr Sirakoff
  Christina.Sirakoff@portphillip.vic.gov.au
  0435 419 930

Τι άλλο πρέπει να γνωρίζετε;
Πιστεύουμε ότι το Συμβούλιο πρέπει να γίνει πιο αποτελεσματικό στην παροχή υπηρεσιών στην κοινότητά μας. Το Συμβούλιο μας λέει ότι το πάγωμα των τιμών σημαίνει ότι οι υπηρεσίες πρέπει να μειωθούν, αλλά λέμε ότι ο Δήμος δεν χρειάζεται να προετοιμάσει αναφορές που κανείς δεν θέλει ή διαβάζει. Η σύνταξη μιας αναφοράς μήκους 200 ή 300 σελίδων που δεν διαβάζει κανείς δεν είναι υπηρεσία. Εάν οι Σύμβουλοι ψηφίσουν υπέρ του παγώματος των τιμών, τότε ο Διευθύνων Σύμβουλος και η ομάδα του θα πρέπει να προσδιορίσουν την αποτελεσματικότητα παρά να μειώσουν τις υπηρεσίες. Το Port Phillip Council αρνείται ότι υπάρχει πρόβλημα τιμών στο Port Phillip, αλλά οι επίδοξοι συνειδητοποιητές γνωρίζουν μόνο οδυνηρά ότι πληρώνουν δύο φορές, τρεις ή περισσότερες φορές τις τιμές που πληρώνονται για ακίνητα παρόμοιας αξίας σε γειτονικά συμβούλια. Ο Δήμος χρησιμοποιεί τις μέσες τιμές για να συγκρίνει το Port Phillip σε άλλα Συμβούλια, αλλά οι μέσες τιμές είναι παραπλανητικές και παραπλανητικές, διότι έχουμε πολύ υψηλότερη αναλογία μονάδων / διαμερισμάτων προς σπίτια και ότι οι τιμές είναι κατά μέσο όρο προς χαμηλότερο αριθμό.

Ανατρέξτε στο Fact Check στο https://ropp.org.au/fact-check-how-high-are-port-phillip-rates-compared-to-neighbouring-c Majliss/

UPDATE 15 AUGUST 2020: RoPP campaign successful in delaying new Bin Tax

We are pleased to see that the Bin Tax will not be introduced this financial year, according to Port Phillip’s updated web page.

Thanks to all for your help with our Bin Tax campaign!

The best way to ensure your rates are reduced to be in line with neighbouring councils, is to vote for a RoPP endorsed candidate at the upcoming October election. We will be releasing the exciting news about our endorsed candidates soon, so stay tuned.

• At the 4th December 2019 Council meeting, a “Waste and Amenity levy” was proposed to address the waste crisis, forecasted to add $64 million over the next 10 years to Council’s “rate cap challenge”. RoPP spoke at that meeting in opposition to the new Tax, unless the Council could provide more information.
• We finally received a written response from the CEO on July 2nd 2020, confirming that Council were considering options of how to fund the Bin Tax, including the levy being additional to existing rates.
• Our poster and leaflet campaign to stop the Bin Tax commenced on 30th July 2020.
• Council’s website still detailed the impending Bin Tax. Now those details have been removed, replaced instead with a statement about the deferral.
• Why would Council remove the details from their website? As of writing this, the minutes of the 4th December 2019 Council meeting where the Bin Tax was voted on, are also no longer available on their website. Further, we have discovered that almost 20 years of Council meeting agendas & minutes have been removed in the last week.
• Please refer to the end of this webpage for details of the Essential Services Commission’s role in waste levies.

The facts and our transparency speak for themselves. The Council’s backdown on a new Bin Tax shows that our campaign has had an impact. Council have rightly recognised the harshness of introducing a new tax on top of the burden of existing rates, in a time of economic crisis.

Port Phillip Council is one of the highest spending councils in the state and are now proposing to introduce an additional Waste and Amenity levy on top of the exorbitant rates you already pay.
See https://ropp.org.au/fact-check-how-high-are-port-phillip-rates-compared-to-neighbouring-councils/

So in addition to a 2% increase to total rates collected this year (the maximum allowable under the State government’s rate cap system), you would have to pay a levy for ‘Waste and Amenity’, “A BIN TAX” on this fundamental service. This would severely impact both ratepayers and residents at a time when many have lost their livelihoods, incomes and ability to pay.

Council claims that the reason they need to charge a new levy is because waste costs are rising at a greater pace than inflation. There are two issues with this:

1. Waste management, a core service of council, only accounts for 5.3% of the Port Phillip budget[1], meaning that even if this component increased by 10% per year, the effect on the overall budget would only be around 1-1.2%, well within the 2% rate cap.

2. Competent management should be able to absorb this fundamental service easily, by forecasting these cost issues and re-prioritising their budget accordingly. Instead, the majority of the 2% increase in general rates will go towards wage rises for staff, which council has stubbornly refused to address (or even acknowledge).

Council wants to take the easy way out yet again, by charging ratepayers a new BIN TAX instead of doing the hard work necessary to manage the budget.

The waste and amenity levy (BIN TAX) would sit outside the 2% annual rate cap imposed by the Essential Services Commission. This gives council the option to increase the levy by whatever amount it wishes, and you can be sure it will – council will use the levy to fund its inability to manage its own budget. Council describes this inability to live within their own means the ‘rate capping challenge’.

IT’S A NEW TAX ON TOP OF YOUR EXISTING RATES

Councillors did not want to be held accountable at the ballot box for introducing a new tax this year, so have deferred its introduction until after the election. We are here to highlight the issue so that you have the chance to stop council by voting for an independent candidate that will vote against the BIN TAX and hold the council to account. Keep an eye on our website for an independent review of candidates running in the October election.

 We say:
1. ROPP does not support the introduction of a Waste and Amenity Levy in addition to the burden of existing rates. Council need to get the budget under control instead of taking the easy way out: a new Bin Tax

2. Now is not the time to impose new taxes on a struggling economy. It’s not fair and it needs to be stopped.

Essential Services Commission’s role in waste levies
Council can levy a new charge in addition to existing rates, just like two councils did in 2018-19. This is subject to the oversight of the Essential Services Commission, however Councils retain full autonomy to introduce new charges. Council can opt to introduce a waste levy in a revenue neutral way, reducing general rates by the same amount that the new levy raises. This is what Maribyrnong did in 2019-20.

As Port Phillip Council said themselves on the now removed ‘waste challenges’ webpage :
 “Council is also considering a proposal to introduce a waste and amenity levy, which would be a payment separate to Council rates to cover some, or all, of the costs incurred by council to deliver waste, recycling and cleansing services. This would enable Council to set a service rate or charge (levy) that’s in line with the true cost of the service.

Το Gasworks Arts Park έχει δεκαέξι κατοίκους εικαστικούς καλλιτέχνες και μια μικρή ομάδα επαγγελματικού προσωπικού που εργάζεται για να παρουσιάσει ένα ετήσιο πρόγραμμα φεστιβάλ και εκδηλώσεων, συμπεριλαμβανομένων εποχών με μερικά από τα εξέχοντα φεστιβάλ τέχνης της Μελβούρνης, αγορές αγροτών, μαθήματα και εργαστήρια, ευκαιρίες δημιουργικής και επαγγελματικής ανάπτυξης για καλλιτέχνες, παιδικός προγραμματισμός και πολλά άλλα. Επιπλέον, πάνω από 200 εκδηλώσεις παραστατικών τεχνών και 30 εκθέσεις εικαστικών τεχνών παρουσιάζονται στον χώρο κάθε χρόνο.

Η Gasworks βρίσκεται στο Albert Park της Μελβούρνης, στην τοποθεσία του πρώην εργοστασίου φυσικού αερίου της Νότιας Μελβούρνης. Απέχει τρία χιλιόμετρα από το CBD και ο περίβολος στεγάζει τέσσερα εκτάρια πάρκου, δύο θέατρα, τρεις χώρους γκαλερί, ένα καφέ, καθώς και χώρους εκδηλώσεων και εργαστηρίων.

Whats On https://www.gasworks.org.au/whats-on

Αναφ. χάρτη Google: -37.843317, 144.946260

«Δεν είναι μόνο οι αθλητές. Είμαστε άνθρωποι μετά από όλα, και μερικές φορές πρέπει να πάρετε ένα βήμα πίσω», είπε ο Αμερικανός γυμναστής Simone Biles την Τρίτη, καθώς άφησε την αρένα των Ολυμπιακών Αγώνων του Τόκιο.

Αυτή την Τετάρτη, ο Μπίλς παραιτήθηκε επίσης από τον αγώνα στον πρώτο ατομικό τελικό καλλιτεχνικής γυμναστικής στο Τόκιο 2020, ο οποίος θα διεξαχθεί την Πέμπτη.

Δεν έχει ακόμη επιβεβαιώσει αν θα συμμετάσχει τις επόμενες ημέρες στις άλλες τελικούς με αυτά που διαθέτει τα προσόντα στο Τόκιο. άλμα και άνιση μπαρ (για την Κυριακή, 1 Αυγούστου), πασιέντζα (για τη Δευτέρα, 2 Αυγούστου) και δοκού ισορροπίας (την Τρίτη, 30)

Αν και δεν είναι όλα τα ο κόσμος έχει την προβολή της Biles ή τη ζωή κάτω από την πίεση ότι οι αθλητές υποβάλλονται στην πιο σημαντικό ανταγωνισμό στον κόσμο, κίνηση του αθλητή μπορεί να χρησιμεύσει ως μάθημα και τον προβληματισμό για τον καθένα, σύμφωνα με τους ειδικούς ψυχικής υγείας συνέντευξη από το BBC News Βραζιλία.

"Σήμερα γίνεται περισσότερο λόγος για ψυχική υγεία στον αθλητισμό, τη μουσική, την εκπαίδευση ... και το γεγονός πως συζητείται απομυθοποιεί το ζήτημα », λέει η κλινική ψυχίατρος Λιβία Καστέλο Μπράνκο.

Heather Cunsolo 0466 227 014

Heather.Cunsolo@portphillip.vic.gov.au

Katherine Copsey 0466 478 949
Katherine.Copsey@portphillip.vic.gov.au

Peter Martin 0435 390 821
Peter.Martin@portphillip.vic.gov.au

Λουίζ Κρόφορντ 0466 514 643
Louise.Crawford@portphillip.vic.gov.au

Tim Baxter 0466 495 250
Tim.Baxter@portphillip.vic.gov.au

Πέντε μέλη του Συμβουλίου - Cunsolo, Baxter, Copsey, Martin και Crawford - έδειξαν αδιαφορία για τους κατοίκους και τους δικαιούχους πληρωμών.

Πέντε Σύμβουλοι - ψήφισαν κατά του παγώματος των επιτοκίων σε αυτούς τους δύσκολους καιρούς Covid. Το κόστος για να γίνει αυτό ήταν μόλις 1,98 εκατομμύρια δολάρια.

Πέντε Σύμβουλοι - αρνήθηκαν το πάγωμα των επιτοκίων, παρά το συμβούλιο που προέβλεψε 4,4 εκατομμύρια δολάρια πλεόνασμα μετρητών συν 2,3 εκατομμύρια δολάρια από νέα ακίνητα.

Πέντε Σύμβουλοι - στη συνέχεια αύξησαν τις δαπάνες κατά 1,35 εκατομμύρια δολάρια σε σχέδια και σχέδια για κατοικίδια για μειονοτικές ομάδες, παρέχοντας λίγα για ολόκληρη την κοινότητα.

ΛΕΜΕ
Κρατήστε την πολιτική μακριά από το Port Phillip. Οι κάτοικοι παίρνουν πολύ λίγα για τα υπέρογκα ποσοστά που πληρώνουμε. It'sρθε η ώρα να στρέψουμε το δάχτυλο προς τους Συμβούλους που αυξάνουν τα επιτόκια μας, σπαταλούν χρήματα και εργάζονται ενάντια στα συμφέροντα των κατοίκων και των πληρωτών. Εάν αυτοί οι Πέντε Σύμβουλοι δεν μπορούν να ψηφίσουν το πάγωμα των επιτοκίων κατά τη διάρκεια του COVID, πότε θα το κάνουν;

Publisher 90

UPDATE 15 AUGUST 2020: RoPP campaign successful in delaying new Bin Tax

We are pleased to see that the Bin Tax will not be introduced this financial year, according to Port Phillip’s updated web page.

Thanks to all for your help with our Bin Tax campaign!

The best way to ensure your rates are reduced to be in line with neighbouring councils, is to vote for a RoPP endorsed candidate at the upcoming October election. We will be releasing the exciting news about our endorsed candidates soon, so stay tuned.

• At the 4th December 2019 Council meeting, a “Waste and Amenity levy” was proposed to address the waste crisis, forecasted to add $64 million over the next 10 years to Council’s “rate cap challenge”. RoPP spoke at that meeting in opposition to the new Tax, unless the Council could provide more information.
• We finally received a written response from the CEO on July 2nd 2020, confirming that Council were considering options of how to fund the Bin Tax, including the levy being additional to existing rates.
• Our poster and leaflet campaign to stop the Bin Tax commenced on 30th July 2020.
• Council’s website still detailed the impending Bin Tax. Now those details have been removed, replaced instead with a statement about the deferral.
• Why would Council remove the details from their website? As of writing this, the minutes of the 4th December 2019 Council meeting where the Bin Tax was voted on, are also no longer available on their website. Further, we have discovered that almost 20 years of Council meeting agendas & minutes have been removed in the last week.
• Please refer to the end of this webpage for details of the Essential Services Commission’s role in waste levies.

The facts and our transparency speak for themselves. The Council’s backdown on a new Bin Tax shows that our campaign has had an impact. Council have rightly recognised the harshness of introducing a new tax on top of the burden of existing rates, in a time of economic crisis.

Port Phillip Council is one of the highest spending councils in the state and are now proposing to introduce an additional Waste and Amenity levy on top of the exorbitant rates you already pay.
See https://ropp.org.au/fact-check-how-high-are-port-phillip-rates-compared-to-neighbouring-councils/

So in addition to a 2% increase to total rates collected this year (the maximum allowable under the State government’s rate cap system), you would have to pay a levy for ‘Waste and Amenity’, “A BIN TAX” on this fundamental service. This would severely impact both ratepayers and residents at a time when many have lost their livelihoods, incomes and ability to pay.

Council claims that the reason they need to charge a new levy is because waste costs are rising at a greater pace than inflation. There are two issues with this:

1. Waste management, a core service of council, only accounts for 5.3% of the Port Phillip budget[1], meaning that even if this component increased by 10% per year, the effect on the overall budget would only be around 1-1.2%, well within the 2% rate cap.

2. Competent management should be able to absorb this fundamental service easily, by forecasting these cost issues and re-prioritising their budget accordingly. Instead, the majority of the 2% increase in general rates will go towards wage rises for staff, which council has stubbornly refused to address (or even acknowledge).

Council wants to take the easy way out yet again, by charging ratepayers a new BIN TAX instead of doing the hard work necessary to manage the budget.

The waste and amenity levy (BIN TAX) would sit outside the 2% annual rate cap imposed by the Essential Services Commission. This gives council the option to increase the levy by whatever amount it wishes, and you can be sure it will – council will use the levy to fund its inability to manage its own budget. Council describes this inability to live within their own means the ‘rate capping challenge’.

IT’S A NEW TAX ON TOP OF YOUR EXISTING RATES

Councillors did not want to be held accountable at the ballot box for introducing a new tax this year, so have deferred its introduction until after the election. We are here to highlight the issue so that you have the chance to stop council by voting for an independent candidate that will vote against the BIN TAX and hold the council to account. Keep an eye on our website for an independent review of candidates running in the October election.

 We say:
1. ROPP does not support the introduction of a Waste and Amenity Levy in addition to the burden of existing rates. Council need to get the budget under control instead of taking the easy way out: a new Bin Tax

2. Now is not the time to impose new taxes on a struggling economy. It’s not fair and it needs to be stopped.

Essential Services Commission’s role in waste levies
Council can levy a new charge in addition to existing rates, just like two councils did in 2018-19. This is subject to the oversight of the Essential Services Commission, however Councils retain full autonomy to introduce new charges. Council can opt to introduce a waste levy in a revenue neutral way, reducing general rates by the same amount that the new levy raises. This is what Maribyrnong did in 2019-20.

As Port Phillip Council said themselves on the now removed ‘waste challenges’ webpage :
 “Council is also considering a proposal to introduce a waste and amenity levy, which would be a payment separate to Council rates to cover some, or all, of the costs incurred by council to deliver waste, recycling and cleansing services. This would enable Council to set a service rate or charge (levy) that’s in line with the true cost of the service.

Ρωτήστε αυτούς τους 5 συμβούλους

Heather Cunsolo 0466 227 014
Heather.Cunsolo@portphillip.vic.gov.au

Katherine Copsey 0466 478 949
Katherine.Copsey@portphillip.vic.gov.au

Peter Martin 0435 390 821
Peter.Martin@portphillip.vic.gov.au

Λουίζ Κρόφορντ 0466 514 643
Louise.Crawford@portphillip.vic.gov.au

Tim Baxter 0466 495 250
Tim.Baxter@portphillip.vic.gov.au

Πέντε μέλη του Συμβουλίου - Cunsolo, Baxter, Copsey, Martin και Crawford - έδειξαν αδιαφορία για τους κατοίκους και τους δικαιούχους πληρωμών.

Πέντε Σύμβουλοι - ψήφισαν κατά του παγώματος των επιτοκίων σε αυτούς τους δύσκολους καιρούς Covid. Το κόστος για να γίνει αυτό ήταν μόλις 1,98 εκατομμύρια δολάρια.

Πέντε Σύμβουλοι - αρνήθηκαν το πάγωμα των επιτοκίων, παρά το συμβούλιο που προέβλεψε 4,4 εκατομμύρια δολάρια πλεόνασμα μετρητών συν 2,3 εκατομμύρια δολάρια από νέα ακίνητα.

Πέντε Σύμβουλοι - στη συνέχεια αύξησαν τις δαπάνες κατά 1,35 εκατομμύρια δολάρια σε σχέδια και σχέδια για κατοικίδια για μειονοτικές ομάδες, παρέχοντας λίγα για ολόκληρη την κοινότητα.

ΛΕΜΕ
Κρατήστε την πολιτική μακριά από το Port Phillip. Οι κάτοικοι παίρνουν πολύ λίγα για τα υπέρογκα ποσοστά που πληρώνουμε. It'sρθε η ώρα να στρέψουμε το δάχτυλο προς τους Συμβούλους που αυξάνουν τα επιτόκια μας, σπαταλούν χρήματα και εργάζονται ενάντια στα συμφέροντα των κατοίκων και των πληρωτών. Εάν αυτοί οι Πέντε Σύμβουλοι δεν μπορούν να ψηφίσουν το πάγωμα των επιτοκίων κατά τη διάρκεια του COVID, πότε θα το κάνουν;

UPDATE 15 AUGUST 2020: RoPP campaign successful in delaying new Bin Tax

We are pleased to see that the Bin Tax will not be introduced this financial year, according to Port Phillip’s updated web page.

Thanks to all for your help with our Bin Tax campaign!

The best way to ensure your rates are reduced to be in line with neighbouring councils, is to vote for a RoPP endorsed candidate at the upcoming October election. We will be releasing the exciting news about our endorsed candidates soon, so stay tuned.

• At the 4th December 2019 Council meeting, a “Waste and Amenity levy” was proposed to address the waste crisis, forecasted to add $64 million over the next 10 years to Council’s “rate cap challenge”. RoPP spoke at that meeting in opposition to the new Tax, unless the Council could provide more information.
• We finally received a written response from the CEO on July 2nd 2020, confirming that Council were considering options of how to fund the Bin Tax, including the levy being additional to existing rates.
• Our poster and leaflet campaign to stop the Bin Tax commenced on 30th July 2020.
• Council’s website still detailed the impending Bin Tax. Now those details have been removed, replaced instead with a statement about the deferral.
• Why would Council remove the details from their website? As of writing this, the minutes of the 4th December 2019 Council meeting where the Bin Tax was voted on, are also no longer available on their website. Further, we have discovered that almost 20 years of Council meeting agendas & minutes have been removed in the last week.
• Please refer to the end of this webpage for details of the Essential Services Commission’s role in waste levies.

The facts and our transparency speak for themselves. The Council’s backdown on a new Bin Tax shows that our campaign has had an impact. Council have rightly recognised the harshness of introducing a new tax on top of the burden of existing rates, in a time of economic crisis.

Port Phillip Council is one of the highest spending councils in the state and are now proposing to introduce an additional Waste and Amenity levy on top of the exorbitant rates you already pay.
See https://ropp.org.au/fact-check-how-high-are-port-phillip-rates-compared-to-neighbouring-councils/

So in addition to a 2% increase to total rates collected this year (the maximum allowable under the State government’s rate cap system), you would have to pay a levy for ‘Waste and Amenity’, “A BIN TAX” on this fundamental service. This would severely impact both ratepayers and residents at a time when many have lost their livelihoods, incomes and ability to pay.

Council claims that the reason they need to charge a new levy is because waste costs are rising at a greater pace than inflation. There are two issues with this:

1. Waste management, a core service of council, only accounts for 5.3% of the Port Phillip budget[1], meaning that even if this component increased by 10% per year, the effect on the overall budget would only be around 1-1.2%, well within the 2% rate cap.

2. Competent management should be able to absorb this fundamental service easily, by forecasting these cost issues and re-prioritising their budget accordingly. Instead, the majority of the 2% increase in general rates will go towards wage rises for staff, which council has stubbornly refused to address (or even acknowledge).

Council wants to take the easy way out yet again, by charging ratepayers a new BIN TAX instead of doing the hard work necessary to manage the budget.

The waste and amenity levy (BIN TAX) would sit outside the 2% annual rate cap imposed by the Essential Services Commission. This gives council the option to increase the levy by whatever amount it wishes, and you can be sure it will – council will use the levy to fund its inability to manage its own budget. Council describes this inability to live within their own means the ‘rate capping challenge’.

IT’S A NEW TAX ON TOP OF YOUR EXISTING RATES

Councillors did not want to be held accountable at the ballot box for introducing a new tax this year, so have deferred its introduction until after the election. We are here to highlight the issue so that you have the chance to stop council by voting for an independent candidate that will vote against the BIN TAX and hold the council to account. Keep an eye on our website for an independent review of candidates running in the October election.

 We say:
1. ROPP does not support the introduction of a Waste and Amenity Levy in addition to the burden of existing rates. Council need to get the budget under control instead of taking the easy way out: a new Bin Tax

2. Now is not the time to impose new taxes on a struggling economy. It’s not fair and it needs to be stopped.

Essential Services Commission’s role in waste levies
Council can levy a new charge in addition to existing rates, just like two councils did in 2018-19. This is subject to the oversight of the Essential Services Commission, however Councils retain full autonomy to introduce new charges. Council can opt to introduce a waste levy in a revenue neutral way, reducing general rates by the same amount that the new levy raises. This is what Maribyrnong did in 2019-20.

As Port Phillip Council said themselves on the now removed ‘waste challenges’ webpage :
 “Council is also considering a proposal to introduce a waste and amenity levy, which would be a payment separate to Council rates to cover some, or all, of the costs incurred by council to deliver waste, recycling and cleansing services. This would enable Council to set a service rate or charge (levy) that’s in line with the true cost of the service.