The Taxpayer’s Union last night launched a campaign calling for a cap on annual rates hikes. This would limit annual rates increases to 3% annually, unless councils seek approval from residents for a larger increase through a referendum.

More than 4,500 people have already written to the Prime Minister and Minister of Local Government overnight calling on them to act.

Commenting on this, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said:

“Councils spending hundreds of millions of dollars on pet projects have been treating ratepayers like a magic money tree. Double-digit rates hikes have become councils’ get-out-of-jail-free card.

“This year, not a single council has managed to keep their rates hikes at or below inflation. Rates can’t keep spiralling forever, and it’s time councils learnt to tighten their belts.

“Ratepayers should have the final say over how their money is spent. Government needs to kibosh out-of-touch council shakedowns and put control back in residents’ hands.”

NOTES :

The Taxpayers' Union's email submission tool for New Zealanders to demand caps on rate hikes can be found here: https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/email_cap_rates

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