Phil Goff has rubbished Mr Tamihere’s finance plan as incoherent and lacking in basic financial understanding.

“Mr Tamihere has already promised a rise in water rates of $200-$300 for every household, which equals to a 12% increase in average general rates. So, to suggest a 3.5% rates cut is to take much more with one hand and give a little bit with the other.

“Under this plan, the city would lose out on $3.8 billion dollars’ worth of rates revenue on top of the $4.3 billion lost from the regional fuel tax. Where is the money going to come from to pay for the work that we desperately need to do in Auckland like transport and housing infrastructure?

“The reason we have had to invest $28 billion in infrastructure spend in the current 10-year budget is because year after year, Auckland has underinvested in crucial infrastructure. Mr Tamihere is making the same mistake.

“Mr Tamihere’s policies now cost more than $12 billion dollars while he is promising to cut revenue is $8 billion. These sorts of promises are fundamentally reckless, dishonest and unbelievable.”

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