Tamihere’s fuel tax promise will require waste
cuts 21 AUGUST 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
The Auckland Ratepayers’
Alliance is welcoming John Tamihere’s commitmentto
scrapping the Auckland fuel tax and proposed Dominion Road
tramline, but warns that he will also have to make
significant cuts to operational spending to balance the
Council books.
Ratepayers’
Alliance spokesperson Jo Holmes says, “The fuel tax
puts enormous costs on Aucklanders, especially those on low
incomes. Motorists will be pleased to see it gone.”
“Phil Goff introduced this tax to bring in more cash
after he failed to keep his promise to cut wasteful spending
in Council. If Mr Tamihere scraps the tax, he’ll have to
close a $1.5 billion revenue gap (over 10 years) by finding
the efficiencies Mr Goff has failed to deliver.”
“Mr Tamihere should tackle this challenge
energetically, focusing on the day-to-day operational
expenses that have crept up faster than capital investment.
Once place to start is staffing costs: more than 2,250
Council staff earn over
$100,000.”
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