Council sets rates with new budget
Council’s budget for 2022-23 includes $107 million in services and facilities, including $82 million in capital works and a $100 rate rebate for eligible pensioners.
Significant capital works include:
- $18.3 million on sporting upgrades, including a new hockey facility at Wantirna Reserve and upgrading facilities at Knox Athletics track
- $11.4 million on parks and reserves, including construction of wetlands at Stamford Park and the next stage of daylighting Blind Creek to Lewis Park
- $11.6 million to improve roads and drainage
- $4.5 million to improve footpaths and cycling paths
- $3.5 million for a new library in Westfield Knox
- $0.9 million to upgrade Erica Avenue in Boronia
The budget sets the groundwork for implementing the Council Plan and the community’s priorities, outlining where your rates are spent to ensure we achieve our vision.
The Victorian Government’s Fair Go Rates System directs that councils can only raise an additional 1.75% in total income, compared to last year, from rates across all residential and non-residential categories.
Rates are based on independent valuations by the Victorian Valuer-General, which showed property values in Knox increased by an average of 16.8%.
Knox Mayor, Cr Susan Laukens said how much a ratepayer pays depends on the value of their property.
“Residential and non-residential property values increased by an average of 16.8% across Knox but this doesn’t mean Council’s income increases by the same amount,” she said.
“Property values determine the distribution of rates between residential and non-residential properties. So, if your property increased in value by the average of 16.8%, your rates will increase by 1.75%. If your property increased by more than 16.8% your rates will increase by more than 1.75%, and if your property increased by less than 16.8% your rates will increase by less than 1.75% or could even decrease.”
The Valuer-General’s revaluations showed that residential property values increased by an average of 22.61% in The Basin, 20.29% in Knoxfield, 20.14% in Lysterfield, 20.13% in Upper Ferntree Gully, 19.63% in Wantirna, 19.43% in Scoresby, 18.94% in Rowville, 18.22% in Wantirna South, 17.35% in Ferntree Gully, 16.72% in Bayswater and 15.60% in Boronia.
Rates notices will be delivered from mid-August.
Council will grant a rate rebate of up to $100, in addition to the Victorian Government’s pensioner rebate, to all eligible recipients to ease the rates burden of vulnerable ratepayers.
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