HORSHAM Rural City Council’s major property revaluation before this year’s rates notices has led to a spike in the number of appeals.
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As of Wednesday, 96 property owners had inquired about valuations and 67 had filed forms to appeal, including 15 commercial sites, 26 residential properties and 26 farms.
Horsham council chief executive Peter Brown said an increase in appeals had been anticipated given the major revaluation.
“We assumed that there would be something of this order. Swan Hill has had 53 appeals and they are about the same size as us,” he said.
“The valuer will consider the objections and then he will determine whether an adjustment is required or not, and then will make a recommendation to the Valuer General.
“If the valuer denies the appeal, then people can go to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.”
Mr Brown said Horsham council did not expect its budget to suffer because of the appeals.
“It’s not a significant financial impact,” he said.
“We assume that there is always going to be a few appeals every year.”
Horsham council has also secured an exemption to Victoria’s rates rise cap and councillors backed a 3.5 per cent increase.
McKenzie Creek farmer Neville McIntrye called on fellow primary producers to lodge an appeal before the deadline expired.
“Farmers, if you believe your rate increases are too high, you need to lodge your appeal before October 31,” he said.
“The new valuer sees land values different to the previous valuer and to the way farmers see them.
“I have appealed my 55 per cent rate increase as well as the 29.5 per cent and 25 per cent rate increases on other blocks, because the valuer valued neighbouring land that was better and dryer less than my farm.”
Mr McIntrye has told Horsham council he believed his land had been valued at what its full potential could be if it was totally improved with deep ripping and clay covering.