Media Release
City Vision-Labour Councillors - Auckland City Council
For Immediate Release
Wednesday 20 February 2008

Ratepayers to Foot Bill for Big Queen St Bash

A recommendation by Auckland City Council's Arts, Culture and Recreation Committee to spend $150,000 on a party to celebrate the end of Queen Street's upgrade is being criticised by City Vision councillor Dr Cathy Casey.

The Committee decided to spend $150,000 to celebrate the completion of the redevelopment of Queen Street.  $100,000 of that is to come from the CBD targeted rate while the other $50,000 will come from rates.

Councillor Casey says that City Vision-Labour councillors who attended the meeting argued against using rates to subsidise the giant party but C&R Councillors Moyle, Baguley and Millar voted in favour of the big celebratory spend-up as did independent councillor Bill Christian.

"If the CBD Board wants to spend $100,000 of its targeted rate on this exercise that's for them to decide, but how dare the Council fritter away another $50,000 of rates money on such a wasteful exercise in the Central Business District at the same time it is deleting funding to upgrade town centres in Tamaki and Glen Innes.

"According to the officer's report, the rationale for holding a Queen Street celebration is because 'considerable consultation with the community has been undertaken' and as a result, there has been a high degree of public interest in the project'", Dr Casey says.

"But what about the thousands of businesses and residents of Tamaki and Glen Innes who were consulted over their town centre upgrades?  When word gets out that their rates are funding a Queen Street Party, while their town centres miss out, there will be a few councillors' phones running hot!"

ENDS

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