Monday, 25 February 2013

Council to Consult on Additional Taxes

The Auckland Plan Committee of the Auckland Council approved that planned additional taxes for Aucklanders should go out to the public for consultation.

Councillor Dick Quax voted against the proposed “betterment tax” which will effectively be a tax on any infrastructure or action that the Auckland Council take to “improve or rezone an area”.

“Even though Council officials tried to put this in the best possible light it is unclear exactly how Council will determine what effect in dollar terms actions taken by council will have improved an area” , says Cr Quax.

“In practice this will mean more Council officials working to make decisions on values which will undoubtedly be a contentious, leading to more litigation and further expenses to the already overburdened ratepayer.”

“Apart from rates Council is now considering a raft of funding mechanisms including, tolling new and existing roads, congestion charging, regional fuel taxes, visitor taxes, airport departure taxes and inclusionary zoning which is a ratepayer subsidy for affordable housing.”

“Not only are we planning on taxing Aucklanders more we are also borrowing at a rate of $3 million a day.”

Rather than looking at how we can spend more of other people’s money Council needs to rein in its spending, says Cr Quax.

Ends

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"Unlawful, Unjustified And Unreasonable": Report Into Urewera Raids Finds Police Acted Unlawfully

Independent Police Conduct Authority Chair Judge Sir David Carruthers said today that the decision by the then Commissioner of Police to undertake the operation in Ruatoki Valley and elsewhere on 15 October 2007 was reasonable and justified.

“However, the road blocks established by Police at Ruatoki and Taneatua were unlawful, unjustified and unreasonable... Police had no legal basis for stopping and searching vehicles or photographing drivers or passengers,” he said...

The report also showed that the detention of the occupants at five properties examined by the Authority was unlawful and unreasonable. More>>