By Cam Lucadou-Wells
The annual $350 open-spaces levy on Keysborough South Ward residents has emerged as a late election issue.
The ‘maintenance levy’, which raised $1.55 million in 2019-’20, has been charged on the estates’ ratepayers since 2006.
According to Greater Dandenong Council, it covers the higher cost of maintaining the area’s 20 per cent open space – four times more than other estates.
Ward candidate Stephen Fanous has pledged to knock on every home’s door in the ward to petition for the levy’s removal.
“It’s unfair, it’s been going on for many years.
“Those facilities are used and made available to all people in the City of Greater Dandenong.
“Now more than ever, especially with Covid-19, people are going through tough times and we need to work as hard as we can to remove it.”
Rival candidate Ramy El-Sukkari said the maintenance fund was initially intended to last for just three years. Now there seems to be no end-point, he said.
He has sought an explanation on what the levy was used for, given its reserve fund held a “surplus” of about $1.7 million.
“We’ve got people affected by Covid and families are really struggling.
“So is the $350 levy justifiable? Can it be reduced? Is there a way of scrapping it all completely?
“We’ve organised an upcoming meeting with the council to get a better understanding.”
Rhonda Garad, who is also running for election, said residents should be getting better value for money.
“I don’t support removing it, because the council need extra resources to maintain the extra parks and gardens.
“But residents should be getting more timely, quality service. At the moment, they’re not getting it.”
Ms Garad had unsuccessfully tried to rouse the council to attend a “fetid” body of water that had long laid across one of the reserve’s footpaths.
After phoning the council three times on the matteer, its unreceptive response had been “extraordinary”, she said.
“They don’t know if its Melbourne Water or the council’s responsibility. I got no feedback on what’s been done.
“You just have to keep ringing and ringing. There’s no system to quickly address it.”
Greater Dandenong corporate services director Mick Jaensch said the levy paid 75 per cent of the maintenance cost, with the council’s general funds covering the rest.
In 2019-’20 the levy raised $1.55 million. Only $1.442 million was spent, the rest remaining in the levy’s reserve fund, Mr Jaensch said.
The reserve fund of $1.72 million was expected to be drawn down in future years due to rising maintenance costs, he said.
Tasks such as mowing, tending garden beds, playground, footpath, fencing and furniture repairs, tree planting, lighting and graffiti removal are funded.
Melbourne Water maintains the open spaces’ vegetation up to the high-water mark.
