Rates-2020

Jan 2020:

CoJ would like assistance in crafting the Property Rates Policy for 2020/21.

CoJ will be holding a series of meetings where rate payers and homeowners can provide feedback.

Region F : 18 Feb 2020 | 19:00-21:00 | Mondeor Recreation Centre, Cnr Daylesford Road and Columbine Avenue Mondeor

Region F : 19 Feb 2020 | 18:00-20:00 | Eureka House, Wemmerpan, 92 Marlborough Street, Springield

Region F : 04 Mar 2020 | 18:00-20:00 | Klipriviersberg Recreation Centre, Peggy Vera Road, Kibler Park

See Rates_Meeting_2020_21.pdf for full details

Object to unfair Rates Policy which is hurting the rate payers.

Issues with current CoJ Rates Policy and suggestions:

The purpose of this objection is to ensure fair equitable treatment of rate payers without favoritism or discrimination.

1. "Double Dipping" Increase Property Rates

CoJ property rates are increase via two processes:

a) Cents in the Rand - every year - based on CPI

b) General Valuations Roll - every 5 years - based on property inflation

Adding Property Inflation + CPI, results in double dipping increases.

Over the last 10 years, in many cases, the double increase resulted in +/-15% percent compounding increases every year.

CPI has been 6% during the same 10-year period.

This double dipping increase is unfair to ratepayers as we don’t receive double increases on our salaries.

We don’t receive double increase in CoJ services, if anything, there has been a decrease in services provided by CoJ

*General Property Valuation Year **0% after objections

FAIR: Ratepayers request that CoJ should be permitted only one of (a) or (b) as a mechanism for increases

FAIR: Reset "Cents in the Rand" back to 2008 values.

2. PickItUp - billing not volume based.

The CoJ refuse (PickItUp) charge is based on the value of the property.

The value of the property has no relation to the number of bins generated.

There is no incentive to be environmentally friendly and to reduce the number of bins.

Properties that generate excess bins are not paying their proportional share.

PickItUp, as stated on the invoice is a "WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICE"

Ratepayers would like services to be “consumption” based.

FAIR: Ratepayers request that PickItUp billing should be based on the number of bins or kilograms

3. Sewer Charge - billing not volume based.

The CoJ Sewer Charge is based on the value of the property.

The value of the property has no relation to the amount of sewerage generated.

There is no incentive to be environmentally friendly by reducing the amount of sewerage or to save water used for sewerage disposal.

Properties that generate excess sewerage are not paying their proportional share.

FAIR: Ratepayers would like the Sewer Charge to be based on the direct relationship of water consumption.

4. Ensure rates taxes are spent/used in a fair and equitable method without discrimination.

FAIR: Ratepayers request that 50% of the rates collected be spent in the community where they were collected.

Residents can make input on the following email: RatesComments@joburg.org.za