MEDIA RELEASE ..
From the REGIONAL RATEPAYERS REBELLION campaign
[The campaign fighting for changes to the ARC rating system]

CONTACT spokesman DAVID THORNTON email David@kandu.co.nz
Thursday, 29 January 2004

NON-PAYING RTAEPAYERS WILL KNOW THEIR FATE SHORTLY.

WILL THE ARC TAKE 100,000 'REBELS' TO COURT?

The Auckland Regional Council is preparing to decide the fate of the almost 100,000 rtaepayers who have withheld all or part of their ARC rates. The ARC's Rates Special Committee will meet at 1.00pm next Tuesday, 3rd February, ro recive a report from officers on suggested actions to deal with rebel ratepayers who have been holding back on their ratepayments since July last year. Any decisions will be subject to the approval of the full Council when it meets on 23rd February.

Rebellion rpresentatives will be asking the ARC to drop all penalties for the current yaer as we believe that the ARC has not been applyinh penalties in a consistent mannaer to all ratepayers.

We have also raised e new issue with the Auditor -General concrening the accuracy and availablity of a rating datebase at the time the ARC was assessingthe rtaes last year. - a specific rqeuirement under the new Rating Act.

We understand that the lastest figures of rtaes 'rebels' are - 40,600 have not paid anything, and a further 56,000 have paid less than the amount demanded.

Since the end of the holiday period Rebellion co-ordinators have received many calls from 'rebels' anxious to know what the next stage might be.

We await with interest to see if the ARC plans to take all defaulters to Court.

ends

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