Press Release
ISSUED BY AFFORDABLE AUCKLAND
Rates

Stephen Berry: The Rates Cutter!

Affordable Auckland Mayoral candidate Stephen Berry said today, “As the field of candidates for Mayor of Auckland grows, I stand as the only candidate pledging rates reductions. I don’t mean keeping increases below the rate of inflation, I mean genuine rate cuts!”

“One of the major contributors to Auckland’s crisis of housing unaffordability is the ever increasing level of rates across the city. This has been a consistent feature of every Auckland Council budget and shows no signs of abating. With 27% of the council’s current revenue stream coming from borrowing, ratepayers of the future only have eye-watering levels of taxation to look forward to.”

Mr. Berry says that in order for rates and borrowing cuts to be realistic, the Council also needs to reassess what it spends its revenue on. “Auckland Council needs to start re-prioritising the ‘nice-to-haves’ in favour of funding the bare essentials and letting property owners keep more of their own money in their own pockets.”

“Auckland Council shouldn’t be spending millions sponsoring league tournaments and V8 races, or giving eight figure grants to Theatre companies. Nor should it be engaging in job creation schemes which create negligible employment. If Council sticks to dealing with storm water, maintaining libraries, collecting rubbish and keeping our parks clean, cutting rates is achievable!”

Stephen Berry is also standing for Council in the Waitemata & Gulf ward as well as the Waitemata Local Board.

ENDS

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