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Latrobe City Council urges state to abandon emergency services levy due to community and economic impacts
Latrobe City Council is urging the state government to abandon the Emergency Services levy due to significant community impacts, demanding transparency, support measures, and meaningful consultation with affected residents and businesses.
Latrobe City Council held an additional council meeting on Monday afternoon to call on the Victorian government to abandon the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund. Latrobe City Council Mayor, Councillor Dale Harriman will write to the Premier of Victoria requesting that the Victorian government abandons the fund given the significant impact the levy will have on the Latrobe City community.
Latrobe City Mayor Dale Harriman urges the Premier to scrap the levy and seek transparency, support measures, and community consultation
Demanding tax transparency
Further requests will also be made including to release details of:
- Revenue that the Victorian government would receive through the fund, and how this would be reinvested in Latrobe City
- Support the Victorian government would put in place for those unable to pay the charge
- Consultation plan the Victorian government intends to utilise to engage with the Latrobe City community on the issue
Mayor, Councillor Harriman was passionate about addressing such a critical community concern. "I'm proud to say Latrobe City Council is part of Regional Cities Victoria which has taken the leading role in fighting this tax. It's great to see that this fight is being led by local councils across Victoria, particularly our regional and rural councils," said the Mayor.
Council opposes tax
Cr Harriman also said, "We have risen up against a tax that attacks our people. It attacks our farmers, it attacks our business owners, it attacks businesses that employ people through industry and it attacks us where we live. It is not a good tax, and I know the state government will say it's a levy - when it goes into general revenue by definition that makes it a tax."
"I'm very pleased that we have our own advocacy efforts going forward, I'm pleased that we have had councillors speak out in support of our actions and in support of our community," said the Mayor. For further details on council's position, please view the Open Letter to the Community.
Pictures from Latrobe City Council Facebook page.
Source: www.gippsland.com
Published by: news@gippsland.com
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