RATES AND OTHER UNFAIR TAXES

Take a peek at your latest rates notice. In the Rates Details section, you'll spot something called the ‘Regional Landscape Levy’. This charming little fee is collected by the council on behalf of the State Government. It's designed to fund natural resources management across our fine state, supporting activities like biodiversity conservation, land management, water resources, and sustainable agriculture practices. Essentially, it's the financial fairy dust that keeps our environment sparkling.

Now, don't get me wrong—I’m all for saving the environment. After all, where would we be without those beautiful parks and pristine beaches? However, I do have a bone to pick with how this levy is imposed. The council, on behalf of the state, slaps a separate rate against your property at the dizzying rate of 0.00709291 cents in the dollar, based on the Capital Value of your home.

Here’s where it gets tricky. My property might be valued higher than my neighbour's (or vice versa), and because of this arbitrary value, I get to pay more (or less) for this levy than they do. Why should my wallet feel the weight of sustaining the environment OUTSIDE MY HOUSE just because my house is deemed more valuable? My neighbours enjoy the parks, beaches, and botanical wonders just as much as I do, so why is my contribution tied to some perceived property value?

This, my friends, is what we call an unfair tax. Everyone should be paying the same flat rate, or it should be calculated based on property size and land use (e.g. residential, agricultural, commercial—you get the idea). It should be a fixed charge, only adjustable through concessions where applicable. But alas, most councils opt for the easy route—a percentage of capital value. It’s like charging you more for a burger because your house is nicer. Many people live in homes that might be worth a lot today, but that doesn’t mean they have a swimming pool of disposable income to splash around on these levies.

And speaking of unfair calculations, let me enlighten you on the obviously incorrect perceived Capital Value of my previous house. Now, the Valuer-General conducts an annual valuation of all properties (from the cosy comfort of his/her desk, no doubt). This valuation considers various factors, such as recent sales data of similar properties, market trends, and any changes made to the property. Supposedly, the Valuer-General adjusts property values to reflect market changes. But if that’s the case, why did my previous house, valued at $880,000 by the Valuer-General (on which we paid rates for years), sell for only $835,000 during the pandemic when the market tanked? Did the council graciously lower the valuation during this downturn? Of course not! Once they crank up that value, they never seem to find the brakes.

So, there you have it—a little peek into the whimsical world of rate levies and property valuations. It’s a system that makes little sense, and it’s high time we questioned its fairness.