DRYLAND farmers are expected to continue to press for municipal rating reform if Gannawarra Shire Council proceeds with its proposed incremental move to a standard rating structure for all sectors of the community.
Broadacre farmers from the western part of the shire have already expressed stern opposition to council plan to abolish differential rates within four years.
Council is scheduled to adopt its annual budget and determine its rates structure at a meeting tomorrow night.
Sixty-seven submissions in opposition to a single rate for residential, dryland and irrigation farming and commercial/industrial sectors were received by council during the rating consultation process and 21 people addressed council on the issue.
Gannawarra mayor, Cr Brian Gibson has stated that progressive reduction of a 20 per cent subsidy for dryland farmers would be “fair and equitable” for all ratepayers, but farmers argue that the rating on farming land is inequitable.
The Victorian Farmers Federation is calling on the Victorian Government to rate farm houses, but remove rating from production land.
VFF vice-president, Brett Hosking, who operates a farm at Oakvale, told Gannawarra Shire Council that imposing a huge rates burden on struggling broadacre farmers would diminish their ability to contribute to the community.
Council proposes to raise $12,182,944 from rates and charges, including $9,775,000 from general rates, $631,000 from a municipal charge and $1,777,000 from its waste and recyclables collection.
