Grey Power Concerned Over Rates Increases

Grey Power National President Graham Stairmand Expresses Grey Powers Concerns at Continuing Local Body and Regional Body Rates Increases

“Cool it “

Is the advice Grey Power National President Graham Stairmand is giving to those Grey Power Associations who are advocating a Rates Revolt’

Last night TV One reported the sending out of the first direct Rates Demand by Auckland Regional Council. This highlighted the growing concerns of Grey Power Associations around New Zealand over the seemingly endless annual “ Rates Tax Increases”

These increases coupled with the trend to uniform annual charges and separate rating demands from the Regional and Local Body Councils hit the Low Paid and the Superannuitant hard.

The rates tax is not based on income but the value of land and in some cases capital improvements as well. The ability to pay is becoming more and more difficult for those on low income particularly the retired.

Grey Powers own research echo’s that of Hutt City Councils which shows;

“Analysis undertaken by Hutt City of the published rates increases of 60 councils throughout the country shows the highest proposed increase is 34.0 per cent (Auckland Regional), the lowest is zero, proposed by Wairoa and Waitomo councils. The average proposed increase is 6.7% and only six of the 60 councils sampled were proposing a lower rates increase than Hutt City.”

Grey Power New Zealand Urges Central Government to amend Local Body legislation to enable a cap to be placed on “Rates Tax increases.”

Grey Power strongly recommends that regulations be enacted, or if necessary “Legislation Introduced Under Urgency To make Rates Relief ”available to thousands more low-income citizens.

The cut of point for rates relief at Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars of income was set decades ago. It is way below today’s value, and is very little used

The President said urgent action was needed to redress the situation. He could not rule out more positive Action to bring about Rates relief being undertaken in the future.

He pointed out that Grey Power was a nation wide organization with Associations in every electorate around New Zealand.

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