MEDIA RELEASE

18th November 2014

Split Council votes for ratepayers to pay full increases up to and above 40% from 1st July next year.

At today’s Auckland Council Budget Committee several councillors tried to find ways to ease the pain for 126,000 residential ratepayers who face a rate rise of more than 10% next year – including 51,000 who face rises between 15% and 40%+.

The council debated two alternative options for a transition plan to relieve the burden for the more extreme increases.

The councillors wanted to put these options to ratepayers for formal consultation as part of the Long Term Plan process in January.

Both these options were rejected by 8 votes to 9 and the Mayor’s preference for a ‘no transition’ plan was adopted by 10 votes to 7.

This means ratepayers will get the full impact of the recent revaluation.

118,000 ratepayers will have either a nil increase right through to a 40% decrease.

The balance of 210,000 ratepayers will have increases up to 10%

This imbalance in the spread of liability for rates cries out for reform of the entire rating system.

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