For over 20 years, Angie Romas has operated a modest sandblasting and painting business in Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs. Employing twelve staff and providing materials for significant projects across Victoria, Romas now faces an existential threat due to soaring land tax rates. He has announced that he may have to close his business as a result of these financial pressures.
A decade ago, Romas’s land tax for his four-acre Dandenong South property was a manageable $8,700. This year, however, that bill has skyrocketed to an alarming $203,600. Romas expressed his frustration, stating that the increases could amount to an additional $50,000 annually, noting, “We’re being punished for just being here.”
In response, Premier Jacinta Allan defended the rising land tax, asserting that the revenue generated is directed back into the community to meet its “growing needs.” Despite this justification, Romas believes that such a drastic 2240 per cent hike in taxes will leave him with no choice but to either downsize his operations or cease them altogether.
The plight of Romas highlights the significant challenges facing small business owners in the current economic climate, where increasing taxes can threaten their very survival.