29 August 2013

Auckland does not need two more taxes, it needs fiscal discipline!

“If Mayor Brown’s commitment to the communities of Auckland was as strong as his commitment to new taxes, I’d throw in the towel,” said John Palino.

“The Mayor has raised rates this year at four times the level of inflation. This has not proved enough so he now wants Aucklanders to pay an additional tax every time they jump in the car. And that’s still not enough. He’s also recently announced that even these two tax bases combined are insufficient to cover all his spending and is calling for a new city tax.

“What has happened in the last three years that has meant that rates are so inadequate to cover Council activity costs? The answer is Len Brown.

“The people of Auckland cannot be continually asked to foot the bill for the Mayor’s empire building.

“There’s 150 years of local government history in Auckland funded on the back of rates and one Mayor in one term has labelled this revenue stream as completely inadequate.

“Well it’s not rates which are inadequate. It’s the way they are being spent and the lack of respect of residents’ money,” says Palino.

ENDS

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