Auckland Council Must Save $860 Per Ratepayer

7 JULY 2014

Responding to media reports that Len Brown’s Council will need to find $430 million of budget savings in order to prevent rates rises over the promised 2.5 percent, Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams says:

“Len Brown needs to find savings of $860 per ratepayer if he is to keep his promise of a 2.5 percent rates cap. That is $300 of savings per Aucklander.”

"The Auckland Super City is failing. Amalgamation was supposed to achieve efficiency. Instead it has resulted in an operation comprising 6,000 staff with 811 earning more than $100,000 per year. Both figures are higher than the total of the councils the Auckland Super City replaced."

"Auckland Council CEO, Stephen Town, is telling Aucklanders that the Council is in good financial shape. That is despite the Council owing nearly $16,000 per ratepayer in liabilities – more than any other council in New Zealand."

"Auckland's high debt means that Len Brown will have to slash the inefficiency or find new ways to tax Aucklanders."

“Even Len Brown will struggle to spin his way out of this situation unless he focuses at cutting the fat within Auckland Council. Trimming his army of spin doctors and office staff, which currently number more than the Prime Minister's, would be a good start.”

ENDS

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