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THE CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF COUNCIL RATES WITH A FAIRER SYSTEM INCLUDING RESTRAINTS ON COUNCILS ABILITY TO INCREASE EXPENDITURE WITHOUT THE SPECIFIC APPROVAL OF THE COMMUNITY

14 August 2006 Media Release

Tuesday Could Be a Critical Day for Revolting Ratepayers

The New Zealand First members of parliament will tomorrow discuss the whole issue of council rates at its caucus meeting.

In particular that caucus will decide its position on the Rating Cap Bill which is due back in Parliament next week on 23rd August.

For the last few days NoMoreRates supporters, including GreyPower, have been inundating NZ First MPs with emails demanding that they support the Bill through to select committee.

NoMoreRates founder/organiser David Thornton has been seeking a meeting with NZ First leader Winston Peters in order to put to him the concerns being expressed throughout the country – and pointing out that among those affected were superannuitants who had formed a significant part of the NZ First power base at recent elections.

Mr. Peters, in an email to David Thornton, then advised that his caucus would consider the whole issue at its next meeting on 15 August.

NZ First has stated its policy is to have a Commission of Inquiry into local body funding, but David Thornton has responded by pointing out that such an inquiry would take years and ratepayers wanted action now to put the brakes on unsustainable rate increases

The Rating Cap Bill would do that – even if it was a temporary measure until a new system of council funding was put in place.

With Labour/Progressive and Greens opposing the Bill, and National, ACT, United Future and Maori in favour, the voting in Parliament is locked at 57 votes each.

The votes of NZ First members will decide the outcome – and ratepayers throughout the country are watching and waiting for the critical decision by that Party’s caucus tomorrow.

ENDS

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