Today Cr Greg Sayers from Rodney and Cr Sharon Stewart representing Howick voted against the Auckland Council 10 Year Budget.

Cr Sayers says he voted on the grounds that the Auckland Council budget failed to address a number of the fundamental concerns of Aucklanders. These being;

1. Failing to rein in the wastage and overspending by Council
2. Not dealing with the over regulation and costs being imposed by Council
3. The over taxation of Aucklanders
4. The non-delivery of Mayor Goff’s election promise to save between $70 and $140 million every year.

Cr Sayers says although money is being channelled into improving such things Auckland’s traffic congestion and sewage flowing into the harbour, this was all coming at an unnecessary additional cost to ratepayers through targeted rates and petrol taxes.

“Ratepayers expect Auckland Council to deliver core Council services through the rates they pay,” says Cr Sayers. “There is too much spending on non-core services and the budget failed to cut out these costs.”

Cr Sharon Stewart says “As from 1 July Aucklanders will start to understand what the impact of the fuel tax really means. Not only will fuel prices increase but also the cost of all goods and services as well. I could not burden Aucklanders with this when other alternatives such as cutting costs exist.”

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