Zero Rate ARC Increase Mooted
Two leading Auckland Regional Council members will attempt to persuade their colleagues to support a zero rate increase
for ARC ratepayers when the Council meets to discuss budgets on March 2nd.
Craig Little and Michael Barnett, members of the Advancing Auckland ticket, say there is currently a small proposed
increase for the 2004/2005 financial year but the ARC should show some serious understanding of the problems which the
new ARC rates caused people last year, and have no increase this year.
Mr Little says with a total rate requirement of about $110 million a year, the Council could easily live within its
existing rate income with only a minor trimming of some departments’ budgets.
“ We need to show Aucklanders that we understand how significant the effects of rates can be, and we can best do that by
cutting our spending by only about $4 million this year,” he said.
Mr Barnett wants the ARC to have a serious look this year at alternatives to the current system of charging property
owners for all ARC costs including public transport services.
“There has to be a better way, and a much fairer way, of apportioning a wide variety of costs across the 450,000
households and businesses in the region. We have not got it right at the moment, and it is our responsibility to get it
right as quickly as we can,” he said.