The Auckland Ratepayers Alliance is labelling today’s decision by Auckland Councillors to increase rates by 3.5% a ‘betrayal’ and promises to work to remove at the next council election those Councillors who have put up taxes in a recession.

Ratepayers Alliance spokeswoman Jo Holmes says “The feedback from Aucklanders could not have been clearer: a pandemic is not the time to put up council taxes. But the Mayor and Councillors said stuff the public and did it anyway”

“This is a slap in the face to every ratepayer who has lost their job or livelihood due to COVID. While households are cutting costs, Auckland Council is increasing its operating budget by five percent and budgeting to increase its payroll. It should be freezing spending not growing the bureaucracy in the face of a pandemic”

“What is particularly stunning is that the budget has been shepherded through by Orakei Councillor Desley Simpson. She stood on a 'C and R' platform of cutting back but has delivered the exact opposite.”

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