Politics
Bundoora Freezes Property Tax Levies, Saving Households Thousands This Year
Bundoora households will face no rise in property tax levies this year under the updated cap, leaving more funds available for groceries, utilities and transport.
How we reported this
The mayor released the latest update on the Property Tax Levy Cap Policy this week. The measure applies to every rateable property in Bundoora and keeps the annual levy at its 2025 level through the 2026-27 billing cycle.
Living costs for food, fuel and power have climbed in recent months. Local government records show the cap was first introduced two years ago after repeated resident submissions to council meetings about fixed household outgoings.
Direct Effects on Weekly Spending
Under the policy, a typical Bundoora home owner receives the same levy notice as last year. That stability removes one variable from monthly planning and leaves the same dollars for school supplies or car maintenance. Tenants in rate-included rentals also see no flow-on adjustment from their landlords this cycle.
Policy analysts say the unchanged levy amount interacts with other local charges such as waste collection fees, which remain set by separate council resolutions. Residents therefore face a narrower set of variables when they total their annual housing-related costs.
Implementation Timeline and Next Steps
The legislation states that levy notices will be posted in the first week of August 2026 using the same valuation base as 2025. Council staff will begin processing hardship applications for any property owner who still meets income criteria listed in the original program guidelines.
Further adjustments to the cap level will be reviewed after the next valuation cycle, which begins in early 2027. Residents can check their individual levy statements online once the notices are issued or contact the revenue office for payment-plan options already in place.