Masterton Mayor Gary Caffell fully supports a call by Local Government NZ for the Government to return GST on rates to councils.

Data provided by Infometrics estimates GST on rates for Masterton District amounts to $5.13 million, about 10 per cent of operating income.

“All councils around the country are facing having to find a lot of money in rates for essential services, and that is putting pressure on ratepayers,” the Mayor said.

“Masterton District councillors have put a huge amount of work into keeping our proposed rates increase as low as possible – one of the lowest in the country – but the Government could provide a real boost by returning the GST on rates to the community.

“We’ll be asking Wairarapa MP Mike Butterick to support the move and encouraging our two Wairarapa List MPs Kieran McAnulty and Celia Wade-Brown to take up the cudgels for us as well.”

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