THE State Government should fix a broken fire services levy instead of “piling on new tax” as the Victorian Farmers’ Federation ups pressure against the new levy.
The VFF four-point plan released on Friday by president  Brett Hosking wants:
A cap on levy increases: Legislate a cap that stops increases  more than the consumer price index year-on-year, similar to the council rate cap.
Protection against levy shock: Implement an individual capping mechanism to prevent property owners from facing levy spikes due to extreme land value revaluations.
Fairer classification and rate setting: Conduct a full review of current land use classifications and rate structures to ensure they are equitable—particularly considering differing service levels between metropolitan and regional communities.
Implement the rebate for CFA volunteers under the existing fire services levy.