Len Brown’s Rates Smokescreen

“I encourage a very healthy sense of scepticism amongst Auckland ratepayers before they absorb Mayor Len Brown’s claims of an average rates increase below three percent,”says Affordable Auckland Waitemata & Gulf candidate Stephen Berry.

“Mayor Brown is cheating ratepayers with his spend now, pay later policy which relies heavily on excessive borrowing. Political opportunism of the present is being funded by the crippling debt interest servicing costs of the future. Two point nine percent increases now will be double digit increases in the future; charged to the next generation of ratepayers.”

Stephen Berry believes it is imperative that voters act in the upcoming election to vote out Len Brown and his supporters before it is too late. “When I realised that borrowing last year came to $1 billion and debt $5 billion, I was concerned. The plan for the next 12 months is to borrow another $1.8 billion, lifting council debt to nearly $7 billion. Now I'm horrified.”

“Should a post-election council feature a majority supportive on Len Brown’s policies for another three years, I expect Council debt will be well in excess of $12 billion by October 2016. Housing in Auckland is already out of reach of young families looking for their first home. The rates increases necessary to service the interest on this future debt will only guarantee a lifetime of tenancy for the blue collars of Auckland.”

Affordable Auckland is the only ticket in the upcoming elections that guarantees a genuine decrease in rates for all ratepayers. “We will spend within our means. We will only fund core services. We will not sell out the next generation to buy votes now.”

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