NoMoreRates.com
[The campaign to change the way councils are funded]
www.NoMoreRates.com

18th December

Mayor John Banks

Dear Mayor Banks,

Please do not suggest that all councils in the region should help pay for the Eden Park upgrade.

Ratepayers throughout the region have indicated very clearly that they have had enough of council rate rises and are certainly opposed to any rates funded support for the Eden Park upgrade – and that means regional rates as well as local rates.

Ratepayers are already exposed to a possible rate increase to pay for ‘regional facilities’, which would be confirmed if the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Bill is passed by Parliament in the New Year.

There are many people in the region, on low and fixed incomes, who are already stretched financially.

Many of these people live in real fear as to how they are going to pay for likely rate increases from both their local and regional council.

These are the people the Rates Inquiry report was referring to when it said that rates were becoming unaffordable for certain groups in the community.

Any shortfall in funding must come from commercial sources who stand to gain financial benefit from the Rugby World Cup 2011 - or central Government which stands to gain huge extra tax income from additional GST leading up to and including the event..

The Eden Park upgrade is not the responsibility of ratepayers of the Auckland region.

They were not consulted about it.

They should not be made to foot any part of the bill.

Regards

David Thornton
NoMoreRates.com

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Cc Michael Lee – Chairman ARC.

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