Council proposes to increase rates by 2.8% rather than the maximum allowed amount of 3.5% in the 2023-24 financial year. However, a one-off rate rebate which meant rate rises would be waived for one year from 1 July, was rejected. 

It has been suggested by some residents that Council’s plans to provide modest rates relief benefits to property owners are at the expense of nearly half of Port Phillip residents who rent their homes and rely on council services. (Source: https://news.psmedia.com.au/port-phillip/news/articles/19-04-23-council-rate-debate/ )

Council is not proposing to cut services in order to provide rates relief. The cost of the modest cut to rates revenue will be funded by a large surplus due to revenues from parking fines and investments. The implication is, that Council should increase rates revenues by the maximum amount, to help fix the rental crisis. 

Residents opposing rates relief seek to portray ratepayers as wealthy property owners and landlords. This is far from the truth, as many property owners are paying massive mortgages and other cost of living expenses. 

And in respect of renters, surely people understand that by increasing rates, there will be a flow on via higher rentals over time; though there is an obviously imperfect relationship between the two.

Residents of Port Phillip rejects the nonsensical arguments used as a smokescreen to obscure the underlying issue:  those who want to use rate payer hard earned cash to prop up their pet projects and vested interests. And they don’t care if residents or renters suffer the financial consequences. 

We say it is about time residents get rates relief from the City of Port Phillip.