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Page Last Updated:
Wednesday, 23 September 2009 |
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Home>Your property>Rates and valuations
The Alpine Shire levies rates and charges in accordance with the Local Government Act and the Valuation of Land Act. Council's Revenue Department handles all enquiries concerning this process and is happy to discuss any issues/concerns ratepayers may have.
Listed below is some useful information frequently requested by our ratepayers.
You will note that you can now pay your rates by credit card and can also download some commonly requested forms.
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 Change my details
Pensioners' rate assistance
Payment Dates
General rates
Special Rates - Dinner Plain Special Rate
Municipal valuations
Objection to valuation
Use of valuations by State Revenue Office
Payment options
| Change my details | | If you have moved or your details have changed please complete the change of address form .
Return the completed and signed form to: Fax (03)57551811 or post to Alpine Shire, PO Box 139, Bright 3741 Top
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| Pensioners' rate assistance | | Holders of a valid Pensioner Concession Card are entitled to a concession on their rates under the Victorian Government’s Pensioner Rate Assistance Scheme. This only applies to eligible pensioners who live within the Alpine Shire. It does not apply to Health Care Card holders. To apply for a concession, please present your Pension Concession Card to the Alpine Shire’s Customer Service staff.
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| Payment Dates | | Rate notices are usually forwarded to ratepayers in August each year, with two available options for payment. These are as follows:
Payment in full
Payment must be made in full by 15 February (please note that a further reminder WILL NOT be issued prior to this date)
Payment by instalments
1st instalment due 30 September
2nd instalment due 30 November
3rd instalment due 28 February
4th instalment due 31 May
Please note that to be eligible to pay by instalments, the first instalment MUST be received by the due date. Reminder notices will be issued for the second, third and fourth instalments.
Late or overdue payments will attract interest charges in accordance with the Local Government Act 1989. For further details, please refer to the reverse side of your rate notice.
If you are having difficulty paying your rates please contact the Revenue Department on (03) 5755 0555 to discuss alternative payment options.
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| General rates | | | The general rate, levied on all residential properties, makes up the major source of income from which Council delivers over 90 services and provides a range of capital works programs throughout the community. The general rate also partly funds (52%) the basic provision of Council’s tourism and economic development services. Top
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| Special Rates - Commercial and Industrial Special Rate | | In addition to the general rate contribution, Council levies a special rate on approximately 655 commercial/industrial properties throughout the Shire to provide enhanced services in the areas of tourism and economic development.
This includes the provision of three Visitor Information Centres; local, regional and national promotion of the area to live, work and invest as well as visit; opportunities for business training and development; the annual production of the Community Guide and support for local festivals and events.
Special Rate funds are to be quarantined for the specific purpose for which the Special Rate is levied and this creates a dedicated budget for this purpose.
The Commercial and Industrial special rate applies to land:
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| used primarily for commercial or industrial purposes (including but not limited to any motel or hotel used to accommodate seven or more travellers, tourists or other persons engaged in recreational pursuits); or | | adapted or designed to be used primarily for commercial or industrial purposes (including but not limited to any motel or hotel capable of accommodating seven or more travellers, tourists or other persons engaged in recreational pursuits); or | | which is not adapted or designed to be used primarily for commercial or industrial purposes but on which there is a part of a building, building or group of buildings used, adapted or designed for the sale of goods; or | | on which there is a part of a building, building or group of buildings used, adapted or designed for use or made available for commercial hire, lease or licence for the accommodation of six or less travellers, tourists or other person engaged in recreational pursuits (including but not limited to any guest house, bed and breakfast establishment, host farm and holiday home), other than land located in Dinner Plain.
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| In 2009/10 a total of 648 rateable assessments are involved in the payment of the commercial/industrial special rate. This represents 8% of total rateable assessments within the municipality, which is 8086. This is estimated to generate a total of $448,000 as a contribution towards the operational costs of tourism and economic development totalling $1,277,850.
ENSURE OUR COMMUNITY IS PROSPEROUS SUSTAINABLE & RESILIENT
The Commercial and Industrial Special Rate helps to achieve this by financially supporting:
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| Marketing the Shire as a great place to visit, live, work and invest | | Our partnership with Wangaratta / Indigo shires and GARMi to market and develop the Great Alpine Road | | Business Training Events (eg. Profit In Your Business Workshop, Networking Seminar etc. | | Operations and development of the Alpine Visitor Information Centre (Bright), Mount Beauty and Myrtleford Visitor Information Centres | | Production and distribution of an annual Community Guide | | The Alpine Region Tourism Board – delivery of a 3 year Strategic Plan & projects such as Branding and Events Attraction | | Local festivals and events (sponsorship and logistics | | Visitor Survey Program – delivered annually in November | | Production of an annual Primary Producers Guide | | Production and distribution of an annual Calendar | | Rural Skills Connect Program, North East Initiative – providing training opportunities, aimed at addressing vital skills gaps in North East Victoria by utilising the transferable skills of the ‘on farm’ sector. The project aims to match suitably credentialed and job-ready candidates with existing job vacancies. | | Production and distribution of an annual Calendar | | Providing opportunities to apply for grants which enable activity, including the:
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| o CSIRO Sustainable Communities Initiative (Upper Ovens)
o Annual, shire wide Buy Local campaign
o Myrtleford Beautification Project
o Extreme To Serene campaign – Mt Beauty
o Introduction of La Fiera Italian Festival in Myrtleford
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| All of which ensures our Shire’s economy continues to grow and prosper.
For more information on the Commercial and Industrial Special Rate please see the attached bulletin.
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| Special Rates - Dinner Plain Special Rate | | Servicing costs of Dinner Plain are significantly higher than all other areas of the Shire because of the complex nature and special requirements of the village. Therefore Council applies a special rate to Dinner Plain ratepayers in addition to the general rate.
Under this arrangement General Rate income funds traditional services, e.g. road maintenance, street lighting, fire services and administration whilst the special rate funds the shuttle bus, ski and walking trail grooming, snow clearing, Pay-TV infrastructure, marketing and promotion and other specialist activities such as the Capital Works program for Dinner Plain.
The strategy is to treat Dinner Plain as a self-governing and self-funding business unit of Council. Rates raised in the village are used solely for the village.
A committee of Management appointed by Council has been established consisting of representatives of the Dinner Plain community. This committee advises Council of the needs of the village and set the priorities for the annual budget.
The special rate for Dinner Plain is developed in consultation with the committee. The ongoing tendering of services at the resort and future reviews for specialist activities will largely determine the application of the special rate to ensure that direct special benefit specific to the community of Dinner Plain is maintained.
The Dinner Plain special rate has been budgeted to remain at 86.5% of the general rate which is the same as the 2007/2008 year. It is calculated on the Capital Improved Value of each property and will raise about $648,000.
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| Municipal valuations | | Council employs independent, qualified valuers to undertake property valuations. The Valuer returns to Council a valuation that has been approved by the Valuer General. When this valuation is formally adopted by Council it is used as the basis for calculating rates.
Council uses the Capital Improved Value multiplied by the rate in the dollar (as set by Council each year), to calculate the amount of rates you pay.Top
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| Objection to valuation | | Ratepayers may object to their valuation within two months of the issue date of the rate notice.
After receiving an objection a valuer must discuss the matter with an objector, who, if not satisfied with a decision may appeal to the Land Valuation Board of Review.
An objection to a valuation does not negate the requirement of a ratepayer to pay rates that have been levied, by the due date.
If you wish to make an objection to your valuation, please contact the Revenue Department for more details on (03) 5755 0555.Top
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| Use of valuations by State Revenue Office | | The State Revenue Office uses the site value to assess land tax under the Land Tax Act 2005.
Objections to the site value must be made to local Councils within the time limits prescribed under the Valuation of Land Act 1960.
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| Payment options |
| Internet payment, Alpine Shire | | Payment by telephone. Call 1300 304 173 to pay by Mastercard and Visa. Refer to rate notice for further details. | | Payment at newsagency - Refer to rate notice for further details | | B-Pay - Refer to rate notice for further details | | Payment at the Post Office - Refer to rate notice for further details | | In person - at any Alpine Shire branch office | | Payment by mail - post to Alpine Shire, PO Box 139, Bright 3741
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