Business & Building Owners – Vote NO! to STOP $900+ in NEW LEVIES each and every YEAR added to your rates.

Work has been happening for the last 2 YEARS with $240,000 of grant money ( FROM YOUR NORMAL RATES ) given to a small group (about 40 mainly) town centre tenants along with calling in a couple of professionals from outside the distract – ) that run BIDS as there income stream ) to set up this some what Undemocratic ballot – Signs slipped up at Christmas break and now voting starting 19th Feb -Mid March , – A NO VOTE is the ONLY way to STOP $500,000 being collected every year and 1/2 then been spent on Office/Wages /Town Centre promotions

___________ WHY do we say Undemocratic ? ___________

Have you helped plan or KNOWN about this for the last 2 years , ___ Or just now its almost Voting time ?

1. ___ As little as ___ 13% yes votes ___ COULD PASS this ballot __ ???
2. ___ The Proposed Levy Structure is Heavily in favour of the Town Centre with Industry paying over 60% more than most Retail
3. ___ Being set up by a group up that are in approx 5 others BIDS that provides them selves Wage*
4. ___ If passed the Levy (Title base fee could be increased by another 33% by this group if they desire
5. ___ Once this group is in control, if passed , Reversal is same ballot exercise , ( whats the chances of even getting close to asking for that )

1____ For the vote to Pass ___ONLY 25% of all eligible voters need to Vote , So that is 25% of BUSINESS OWNERS + 25% of BUILDING OWNERS , Then more that 1/2 need to vote yes , The Levy as _ ADDED TO THE BUILDING RATES EVERY YEAR , if you own your building you a lawfully required to pay .

2 ____ There is 3 WAYS this group COULD have chosen how the levy was to be set

(a) __ Every building paid the same amount ( NOT CHOSEN – we agree would be very unfair on small buildings )

(b) __ Amount charged being based on building size ( NOT CHOSEN – BUT FAIREST WAY ! )

(c) __ Two calculations . Part 1 – A set amount ( Council allows at present this to be $900 per rateable TITLE and then Part 2 being a rating facter on the buildings value , With $600 being set this time and a rating factor on value at .00020310 a One Million $ building is paying 75% as the $600 and 25% of the levy from the building value ,

BUT !!!!!!! Wait for it _______

The Town Centre where this BID idea has been growing is ONLY 1 Title – YES only 1 x $600 is collected so the 50 odd business there are only going to be paying $12 a year for the base fee share NOT $600 each !( Then based on the building value they will divvy up the 25% share calcated by the rating facter )

Effectively __ Stand alone + Unit titles + Freehold buildings are pay 75% more for same value building WISE OPTION IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE AND MAKING THE RULES ?