Auckland Regional Council Threatens Ratepayer Over $5.85

* ARC Disputes Its Own Figures That 97,000 Ratepayers Are In Default On Their Rates.

The ARC claims to have sent out 41,000 second reminder letters to ratepayers who have not paid any of their regional rates - the majority of whom we believe are withholding their rates as a protest against last year's rating policy and huge rate increases.

One such letter has been sent to a Te Atatu ratepayer demanding payment of $5.85 [FIVE DOLLARS EIGHTY-FIVE CENTS]

The letter warns that unless this is paid within 7 days the council 'will have no option but to take action'.

Such action will include notifying the ratepayer's mortgagee and adding the amount to her mortgage.

To soften the blow the ARC offers the assistance of its Ratepayer Support Team 'if ratepayers are experiencing genuine difficulty in meeting their rates bill'.

This is one of an alleged 41,000 letter which are reported to have been sent to ratepayers who have paid nothing of their rates bill.

The ARC Special Rates Committee was, 4th February, advised that there was a total of over 97,000 ratepayers who were withholding all or part of their rates.

ARC Chief Executive Jo Brosnahan now denies this and we have asked ARC Gwen Bull to clarify the true numbers.

We believe that the ARC rate collection system is in chaos and we already have a complaint with the Auditor-General about major problems with the ARC rating database.

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