MEDIA RELEASE

YULE SET TO COST RATEPAYERS $100K

16 FEBRUARY 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ratepayers are on the hook for between $90,000 and $100,000 in by-election costs if Lawrence Yule is elected to Parliament later in the year as the National Party's Tukituki candidate or on the list. The figures were revealed after the taxpayer group asked the Council for its calculation of the anticipated costs of a by-election.

Taxpayers' Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says, “While no price can be put on democracy, the figures put into perspective Mr Yule's promise, when seeking to be re-elected last year as Mayor of Hastings, not to make a tilt at Parliament. We think he should have been upfront at the time, given the huge costs that are now likely to fall on ratepayers.”

“With sitting councillors likely to contest the Mayoralty, it could be a double whammy. A second by-election would be required to fill any vacant council seat.”

The correspondence can be viewed at www.taxpayers.org.nz/yule_byelection_costs.

ENDS

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