31 May 2004
Statement from David Thornton
Time For Residential Ratepayers To Boycott Central Auckland Businesses
I have been astonished at the vicious comments made by some business sector lobbyists at the ARC decision to
re-introduce business differentials into the rating system.
These comments are a direct attack on residential ratepayers who suffered huge increases last
year - and some of whom face big increases this year as a result of poor decisions on the new transport rate.
The latest attack comes from the Heart of the City organisation which represents many retailers in the central Auckland
business district.
Auckland Mayor John Banks is also joining the outcry - perhaps conveniently forgetting the huge amount of rates funded
support for major events which bring big profits to many city businesses.
It may well be time for residential ratepayers to boycott businesses in central Auckland City.
It is not just the ARC business differential that the business lobbyists are attacking - they have also been doing the
rounds of local city councils urging them to drop business differentials.
If that were to happen hundreds of thousand of residential ratepayers would be faced with huge rate increases.
Instead of attacking residential ratepayers businesses should be supporting our efforts to change the whole basis of
local government funding.
ENDS