Mayors from all over the state gathered in Melbourne today, saying the the tax will push many ratepayers to the brink.

They’ve been tasked with collecting the Allan’s government’s new multi-billion-dollar emergency services tax.

It’s a responsibility they don’t want, and now want to avoid.

Geelong is being forced to ask for an extra $20 million from its residents.

“Councils cannot and do not want to collect this tax on behalf of the state government,” Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan said.

“We’re having to change how we collect it, yearly quarterly and how our financial hardship policies improve.

Gippsland Latrobe council needs to grab an extra $5m.

“People can’t afford to put food on the table, they’re debating whether they have their kids go to school hungry or pay the bills,” Deputy Mayor Sharon Gibson said.

In Melbourne’s City of Yarra the figure is $200,000

“We’re essentially the debt collectors for Spring Street,” Mayor Stephen Jolly, said.

Councils like City of Yarra started issuing new rates notices 48 hours ago, and while the mayor is expecting an explosion of anger he says right now his hands tied

“We wanna stop this in any way we can. We can’t do it on our own, we have to do it collectively,” he said.

If residents do not pay up councils are looking at their legal options to avoid having their own cash taken from them.

“Councils will be obligated by the state government to follow up, but we’re looking at measures how we cannot do that and what our legal obligations are,” Sullivan said.

No Allan government ministers were available to respond to the councils’ legal move.