GLENFIELD RATEPAYERS & RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

Transport Authority Agrees With Ratepayers That Transport Funding From Rates Is Not Sustainable

In response to submissions by this Association to the Draft Auckland Land Transport Programme, the Auckland Regional Transport Authority[ARTA] says ‘..there is a limit to the funding that the rating base can support’.

The comment is in a letter [copied below] to Association Chairman David Thornton and also states that ‘There are aspects of the current funding system that are clearly unsustainable..’.

David Thornton said today that ‘ARTA was created by central government to sort out Auckland’s transport problems and I hope that tARTA’s comments will be taken seriously by Finance Minister Michael Cullen who so far has insisted that Auckland ratepayers must come up with funding for improved public transport’

David Thornton will now call on all local councils to support ARTA as that organisation seeks to find future funding without increasing the demand on ratepayers.

‘Having received a windfall of $800 million today from Meridian Energy, which is already earmarked to pay for new roads, Dr Cullen should now be able to find further funds from his huge budget surplus to pay for urgently needed public transport developments’; said Mr Thornton.

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Copy of letter from ARTA to Glenfield Ratepayers.

Mr David Thornton
Glenfield Ratepayers & Residents Assoc.
77 Hilicrest Ave
Northcote
North Shore
Dear Mr Thornton

Draft 2006/07 Auckland Land Transport Programme Submission number ALTP06129

Thank you for making a submission to the 2006107 Auckland Land Transport Programme. (LTP). Our responses to the points in your submission and your presentation to the LTP Hearings Panel are outlined below.

The points you raised regarding funding for Auckland transport activities were timely and relevant. We also agree that improving the institutional arrangements around funding and delivery of transport solutions is a high priority for the Auckland region.

We are aware that the proliferation of documents for consultation from different organisations (local councils, Transit New Zealand, ARTA etc) can be confusing and will be discussing with other organisations what improvements can be made next year.

The requirement to have a local share of money available for a project before Land Transport New Zealand funding can be obtained is a constraint we are aware of. ARTA is currently considering how future funding can be obtained without increasing the demand on ratepayers. There are aspects of the current funding system that are clearly unsustainable and there is a limit to the funding that the rating base can support.

Yours sincerely,

Alan Thompson
Chief Executive
Auckland Regional Transport Authority

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