Greater local powers must come with great responsibility

19 JULY 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local Government New Zealand’s decision to lobby for a 1,300 percent increase in the waste levy, from $10 to $140 per tonne, is just a new effort to gouge ratepayers, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.

Taxpayers Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “Half of all waste levy revenue is transferred to territorial authorities, and to no one’s surprise, regional councils would like to get their hands on that money.”

“Ratepayers would feel an increase in the waste levy immediately. Rubbish services would become more expensive – hiring a skip for a week would become much more expensive. While using LGNZ to lobby on their behalf is a smart political move, this is just another tactic to suck ratepayers dry.”

“If Councils want more revenue they can get it the honest, old-fashioned way: by making the case to voters for general rate hikes. Even better, they could find efficiencies in their existing spending.”

ENDS

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