More Than 100,000 Arc Ratepayers Have Not Paid

The REGIONAL RATEPAYERS REBELLION

The campaign opposing the rating policies of the Auckland Regional Council.

MEDIA RELEASE Statement from David Thornton Thursday, 23 October 2003

MORE THAN 100,000 ARC RATEPAYERS HAVE NOT PAID

ARC FIGURES OF 'NON-PAYING- RATEPAYERS SUSPECT.

SPEAKING RIGHTS REFUSED

Figures released by the Auckland Regional Council on 21st October - under an official information request - suggest that more than 100,000 ratepayers are withholding all or part of their rates.

Of that figure almost 70,000 have not paid anything.

These figures are higher than those released by the Council on 28th September when the total of non-payers and part-payers was just over 85,000.

I have asked ARC chair Gwen Bull to explain why these latest figures are so much higher than the September figures.

The accuracy of the ARC reporting on non-payment must now be considered highly suspect.

If satisfactory answers are not received promptly I intend to ask for Audit Office intervention.

Gwen Bull has also refused my request to address the council at its next meeting on Tuesday 28th October - a meeting at which I had intended to raise the question of the accuracy of the reported figures, and the issues of penalties and methods of payment.

The ARC has seriously under-estimated the depth of opposition to its rating policies as illustrated by these 100,000 rebels who are withholding rates.

For the ARC to have been issuing questionable figures adds to the impression that the rates collection system is in chaos.

ENDS

Contact, campaign spokesman, DAVID THORNTON [Chairman of the Glenfield Ratepayers] email david@Kandu.co.nz

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