The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has today launched the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, two weeks before voting opens for this year's local body elections.

Taxpayers’ Union Local Government Campaigns Manager, Sam Warren, said:

"Every candidate standing for mayor or council has been asked for their commitment to ratepayers over three key issues:

1. Oppose any measures that will see the total burden of rates, levies and additional council charges exceed the level of inflation and population growth,
2. Support initiatives that will improve transparency of council expenditure, including the public disclosure of all expenditure items (known as 'armchair audit' and 'open data'),
3. Oppose unelected appointments onto council committees with spending and regulatory powers."

“Councils are only as good as the people we elect to sit on them. Often we don’t know where they stand on important issues. The Ratepayer Protection Pledge draws a line in the sand to highlight which candidates are standing with ratepayers this year.”

"Candidates have until Monday 1 September to add their names and show us how seriously they will take the growing call for change in local government.”

“Every name added to the pledge will be published online, so voters can make an informed decision on who best represents their families, and who chooses to coast through another term of higher rates and less transparency.”

“Councils are in bad shape. We need good candidates to take a strong position and sign the pledge."

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