Ararat Rural City Councillors will meet on Tuesday evening to debate the motion to adopt a final budget and ratings strategy.
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The meeting will be held at Alexandra Oval Community Centre at 6pm on June 26.
Councillors will again consider submissions on Ararat Rural City’s major financial plans and budget.
The Draft Revenue and Rating Strategy 2018 proposed a zero per cent rate rise and minor changes to the existing differential rating system.
However, many farmers might still end up paying more as council staff expected that the total farm valuation will increase by 25 per cent, creating the possibility of increased rates notices.
Council has also proposed to give any ratepayer whose land was previously classified as a farm will have any move to the general rate introduced after a 12-month transition period.
“That any ratepayer affected by a reclassification of the farmland to general land can make application to Council for an exemption of interest on any outstanding rates for the affected property for 2018/19 until 30 June 2020,” the draft rating strategy stated.
A a draft meeting earlier this month, farmers spoke out on increasing financial pressures and former members of the Ratings Strategy Citizens Jury claimed some of their decisions were ignored by the council.
The issue of council rates and their impact of farmers has been running hot in western Victoria this week.
On Monday, Northern Grampians Shire Council heavily reduced its planned increase for farm rates, but rates for the rest of the shire will rise.
Horsham Rural City adopted a 2.25 per cent with residential rates decreased by 0.6 per cent but farm rates increased by 11.8 per cent.
Farmers from Horsham Rural City, Yarriambiack, Hindmarsh, West Wimmera and Northern Grampians shires also met at Kalkee on Friday to discuss rates issues.