Media Release from Cr Dick Quax
Friday, 29 June 2012
Rate Increase for Howick Ward Well Above Regional Average

Auckland Council has swung its public relations apparatus into action selling the new rates set by Council, according to Howick Councillor Dick Quax who voted against the rate increases.

Council is spending tens of thousands on an adverting campaign selling the good news that rates are increasing at an average of just 3.6 per cent.

“While this may be true, the average does not paint an accurate picture because many households in the region are receiving significant decreases.”

Over quarter of a million households are facing rate average increases of 8.1 per cent, many of those are in the Howick ward.

“This is higher than 7.8 per cent overall increase in Christchurch which has had its rating base destroyed by over 10,000 earthquakes.”

Howick ratepayers will pay an average of nearly 7 per cent increase in their rates.

Over the next nine years, Council is predicting rate increases of 4.9 per cent every year while inflation is predicted to be around 2.5 per cent.

ENDS

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