Albany Ward Councillor John Watson is urging residents and ratepayers to have their say in the final week of consultation on Auckland Council’s 10-year Budget.
Councillor Watson says he’s been asked more questions about rates than about any other proposal in the 10-year Budget which closes to public feedback on Monday.
“Getting to grips with the budget proposals and the impact on rates is challenging; understandably because of the widespread economic uncertainty caused by the global pandemic,” he says.
The budget proposes an average rates increase for residential ratepayers of 5.34 per cent for the following year. This increase works out at an extra $150 for rates for the year based on a home valued at $1.08 million.
Business ratepayers are looking at a proposed average rates increase of 3.52 per cent which is an increase of $583 for rates on a property valued at $2.86 million.
Councillor Watson says there are proposals to extend the water quality and the natural environment targeted rates by three years to 2031.
The Water Quality Targeted rate is set to increase each year in line with the projected average increase in general rates. Using the examples above; for residential ratepayers; that is an extra $3.30 and for business ratepayers, an extra $15.30 for 2020/2021. There is no proposal to change the amount of the Natural Environment Targeted Rate.
Councillor Watson says that for each ratepayer the impact of the budget proposals will differ and recommends using the nz/ratesguide to calculate rates for 2020/2021.
With Auckland having suffered the worst drought in its history and the significant capital investment required over the next 10 years, Watercare is proposing to increase water and wastewater tariffs by 7 per cent for the next two years followed by annual increases of 9.5 per cent for the six years after that. While for motorists, the Regional Fuel Tax remains unchanged at 11.5 cents a litre.
Councillor Watson says the most significant rating proposal is the urban rating proposal which affects 6000 homes in the north west and if applied could see rates rise by an average 13-24 per cent depending on the category.
“The proposal asserts that rural townships should be rated equivalently to urban properties. Currently, rural ratepayers pay 90 per cent of the general rate.
“The proposal is based on the premise that rural residents have ‘similar access’ to council services when it comes to stormwater, public transport and community facilities,” he says.
Councillor Watson is asking residents to examine council services in their community such as stormwater provision, roads, footpaths and public transport and submit accordingly.
“Similar access to urban ratepayers is defined as being within a 15-minute car ride to council facilities and community services such as libraries, pools and sports parks. Check if that time limit applies to your property and if ‘car ride’ criteria are compatible with climate change and public transport initiatives in 2021.
“Submit your views on any of these rates issues, whether you own your property or rent, as rate increases are often passed on to tenants by landlords. Let us know if the right balance has been struck,” he says.
Ways to have your say
- Go to akhaveyoursay.nz/RecoveryBudget to download and read the 10-year Budget consultation material and make an online submission.
- Attend the Paremoremo Transport Targeted Rate Meeting on Wednesday 17 March, 7pm-9pm at Paremoremo Community Club, 503 Paremoremo Road, Paremoremo.
- Join a Have Your Say Event on Friday 19 March, 10am–12pm at the Local Board Room, Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Office, 2 Glen Road, Browns Bay
- For people who are unable to attend an event, they can call 09 301 0101 and request a call back to give their feedback over the telephone.
Following consultation, all responses will be considered and our 10-year Budget 2021-2031 will be adopted in June 2021.
Decisions will be communicated once the budget is adopted and a summary report will be available on the council’s website.
