Reacting to today’s news that Auckland Council’s budget hole would require a 22.5% rate hike to fill, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Jordan Williams, said:

“Faced with a hike this large, nothing should be off the table. It is no longer enough to go through the budget with a fine tooth comb to pick and choose what pet projects are worth keeping – large-scale cuts are needed for anything that is not a core council function.

“Last year, Auckland Council and its CCOs spent almost $100 million on consultants and temporary staff, there are 3,472 staff on salaries of more than $100,000 . Many of these people are backroom bureaucrats, such as the 971 managers, doing very little except draining ratepayer funds.

“The rising cost of living, mortgage rates rapidly increasing and households under significant pressure from recent weather events means it is time for Auckland Council to show some courage and front up with significant cost cuts and asset sales rather than reaching into ratepayers' wallets. Council assets and airport shares need to be sold off along with at least a partial privatisation of the port."

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