Phil Goff snubs ratepayers
27 March 2018

The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is appalled of today’s behaviour of Auckland Mayor Phil Goff in walking out of the Council Chamber just prior to New Zealand’s largest ratepayer group making its scheduled submission on the Mayor’s 10-year Budget and Waste Management and Minimisation Plan (WMMP).

“The Mayor was happy to listen to organisations praising his high-rates agenda, such as ratepayer-funded Council sock-puppet ‘Heart of the City’, but as soon as it was ratepayers’ turn to present – to remind him of his pre-election rates promises – he left the chamber,” said Jordan Williams, spokesperson for the Ratepayers’ Alliance.

“The Mayor didn’t just turn his back on the Ratepayers’ Alliance, he wilfully ignored the more than 5,000 submissions made through our website, with the common themes of opposing rate hikes, the regional fuel tax, and the proposed changes to waste management.”

“In our submission, we explained how Auckland Council could continue to upgrade infrastructure without punishing ratepayers – if the Mayor delivered the 3-6% efficiencies he promised, the regional fuel tax wouldn’t be needed.”

“We also pointed out the dishonesty in the Council’s WMMP feedback forms, which don’t even mention the proposal to move kerbside general waste collection to a fortnightly service.”

“While the Mayor wasn’t there to listen, other Councillors were. Ratepayers have just one more day to submit on the Council’s 10-year Budget and Waste Plan, which can be easily done at ratepayers.nz.”

ENDS

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