Tauranga Ratepayers’ Alliance calls out Commission “spin” on proposed rates increases

The Tauranga Ratepayers’ Alliance is urging the Commission to stop the spin and come clean on its proposed rates hike. Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson Kim Williams said:

“The Commission’s claim that they are proposing to increase rates by only ‘one dollar per day’ or ‘two bottles of milk per week’ is misleading at best.”

“Tauranga City Council’s Long-term Plan summary document conveniently leaves out the proposed 30% increase in water rates – an additional $118 per year for the average user. It also neglects to mention the increase to user-fees by an average of 17% which would add a further $100 per year to a resident’s cost of living.”

“That’s an increase of $612 or 172 bottles of two-litre milk per year for a typical household; half of ratepayers will be paying more than that and some significantly more.”

“Tauranga average residential rates are already among the highest in the country. Now, commercial ratepayers are facing a massive rates increase of between 27% and 41%. It won’t just be a question of milk bottles for them; they’re looking at the cost of a whole farm.”

“We need an honest conversation about what the Commissioner’s proposals are going to cost Tauranga families. Undercooking the figures, or deliberately skipping over the measures the Council wants to take to reach deeper into our pockets, does informed debate a disservice. The Commissioners appear too willing to act like politicians, rather than a-political bureaucrats we’re paying them the big bucks for.”