MEDIA RELEASE

26 June 2012

[statement from David Thornton]

Council must give details of the effect on Central Rail Loop on rates

While Auckland Council may be happy with the Government proposal to part fund the CRL there is a big question mark against the likely cost to ratepayers who will ultimately guarantee and pay for the Council’s share of the total cost, plus on-going passenger subsidies.

Mayor Brown’s Consensus Building Group has proposed two options for funding transport, both of which include rates funding to a larger or lesser degree.

The Mayor has stated that he still wants to start construction in 2015 but if the Government funding does not kick in until 2020 how will the mayor fund the construction work from 2015 onward?

The Council’s 10-year budget is based around an assumption that the Government would pay half with construction starting in 2015 and completion in 2020/22.

The Mayor promised that the funding of costs prior to the start of construction would not fall on ratepayers.

He now needs to show how the Council is going to fund the project, especially if it starts work before 2020.

ends.

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