Big increases in Emergency Services Levy unavoidable, SA Government claims
The SA Government has blamed federal budget cuts to health and education in South Australia for a big increase in the Emergency Services Levy (ESL).
A long-standing discount on the levy has ended, increasing the annual charge on households and businesses.
Notices for the levy, which raises funds to support firefighters, the State Emergency Service and other areas such as marine rescues, have been sent out.
A $400,000 home will attract a $150 increase and the levy for a $1 million property will rise by $373 per year.
South Australian Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis said the big increases were regrettable, but unavoidable, after federal budget cuts to health and education services.
Mr Koutsantonis told 891 ABC Adelaide the sizeable rise was an unfortunate sign of the times.
"I know it's difficult," the Treasurer said.
"This is not something we wanted to do, it's something we had to do."
Mr Koutsantonis said the discount previously provided on the ESL came out of general revenue.
"What we've done, is rather than take that money out of general taxes that we get to pay everyone a discount on their Emergency Services Levy, we put that money towards health and education to offset the cuts the Commonwealth have made.
"So people who aren't pensioners, who aren't concession card holders are paying the full amount of their Emergency Services Levy now.
Schools label the ESL increase 'ironic'
Caroline Grantskalns from the Association of Independent Schools said members were facing massive increases in the levy that had come without warning.
"I'm receiving information from schools whose bills have gone up by 400 to 500 per cent," Ms Grantskalns said.
"So for example we have a school in the northern suburbs, their bill last year was $6,870, this year is $33,359."
Ms Grantskalns said she found it "somewhat ironic" the reason given for the increase in the ESL was to offset federal cuts to education.
"If the issue is cuts to school funding, it hardly seems reasonable that schools should somehow then be expected to make up for those cuts," she said.
"A school generally sits on a large block of land ... and as the emergency services levy is about the land you sit on, it has had a huge impact on schools."
At the time the state budget was released, Opposition Leader Steven Marshall said the rise in the ESL amounted to a broad-based land tax once was floated by a previous treasurer Jack Snelling.
"He said they would need to take it to the election. Well, there was no conversation. He didn't take it to the election and now every family home is going to be paying for it," Mr Marshall said.
