Media release
Auckland Councillors Chris Fletcher and Cameron Brewer
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Centre-right aims to reduce Auckland rates rise to 2.5%
Auckland Council Citizens and Ratepayers Leader Christine Fletcher and independent councillor Cameron Brewer say a group
of eight likeminded councillors will table an alternative 10-year draft budget at tomorrow’s Strategy and Finance
committee.
“We want to get average rates increases down as much as possible, particularly when tens of thousands of Auckland
households are set to get hit with double-digit rates increases. We also want to lift the Uniform Annual General Charge
to $450 which will also help to soften the extreme increases. People have told us through the submission process that
they want an affordable Auckland. That’s what we’re pushing for,” says Mrs Fletcher.
“We’ve focused on cutting or deferring some of the Mayor’s massive downtown and waterfront projects, while preserving
community initiatives around the region and actually adding budget to the likes of maintaining our volcanic cones. We’ve
also sliced a fraction off Auckland Transport’s massive annual operating budget but requested that current service
levels be upheld,” says Mr Brewer.
The meeting to debate the Long Term Plan starts at 10am in the Auckland Town Hall tomorrow.
Ends