Auckland Mayoral candidate John Lehmann says the way AC is treating the elderly is bordering on barbaric and inhuman. He sights having 5 calls in the last three weeks from retired people saying they are being forced to sell their homes because of rate increases. Once they had enough money to scrap by on. Not now. He said council has put not only retirees but young families under huge financial pressure as well. And Lehmann says its going to get a lot worse as bank interest rates kick in. Lehmann who is advocating for a rate freeze say in many cases it will be too little too late. Lehmann says he knows of older and younger people with family’s who can no longer stay warm because the cost of power. I have even heard some people dying of cold and malnourishment. Those story’s we used to hear about Russia and places like that. Never ever did I think it could happen here.

Lehmann says this situation is not the way it should be. With the current 5% rate increase it’s a case of make or break. For many its break and something needs doing and doing fast. Auckland council seems totally detached from the responsibilities and realities many people are facing. Auckland now has and exodus of people being driven out. That means not only people are losing their homes, but a parting of families, friends, and support. Lehmann says the dilemma lies at councils’ feet with their wasteful spending. Lehmann points to the council having some 13000 staff, and a quarter of them being paid over $100,000 a year along with some 60 PR staff saying what a great job council is doing. That Lehmann says is far from the truth.

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