Krum Attempts 20% Rates Cap

Auckland Councillor Denise Krum, Maungakiekie-Tamaki ward, today tabled an amendment to cap Auckland’s rate rises at a maximum of 20%. The amendment was lost 8 votes to 15.

Cr Krum stated that: “Although capping at 20% feels like a something of a token gesture, sadly the reality is that this is the ball-park figure thousands of ratepayers are facing in terms of the rates hikes agreed to yesterday.

Around 40,000 ratepayers face increases of over 20% and we should be doing what we can to help alleviate the pressure on those who will face the most pain.

Those facing increases over 20% are not just those in high value property areas. Krum pointed towards Point England and Glen Innes with revaluations up by 62% and 55% respectively. Modest homes in modest areas are not immune to some of the sharpest jumps.

I realise that this cap would not have represented a silver bullet and would have had some impact on other rate payers, but it’s the least we could have done in this environment to address the rod we’ve created for ratepayers backs”.

ENDS

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