Ratepayers' Alliance Launches 2016 Ratepayer Protection Pledge
20 JULY 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance will tomorrow launch its 2016 Ratepayer Protection Pledge, to identify those candidates standing for Auckland Council
who are aligned to the Ratepayers’ Alliance vision of reasonable rates and sensible spending by the Super City.
The pledge reads:
“I [candidate’s name] pledge to all Aucklanders that I will not vote for any measures which increase the total average
burden of rates, levies, and other compulsory Council charges, more than 2% per annum.”
Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Jo Holmes, says:
“We’re asking all Auckland Council candidates – no matter their political persuasion – to champion fiscal prudence and
sign the pledge.”
“The pledge is designed to help Aucklanders identify who stands for more Council waste and empire building, and who
stands for reasonable rates and sensible spending. We’ll be actively promoting those who sign the pledge with leaflet
drops and campaign literature in the days up to voting.”
“Under Len Brown’s watch ratepayers have been hit with unaffordable rates increases year after year. Even worse, some of
Len Brown’s rates enablers had stood for Council on platforms of rates restraint and restricted Council spending, only
to abandon their election platform and vote with the Mayor once elected.”
“Our 16,500 members, and 600 volunteers will be working hard to ensure that the new Council is more fiscally responsible
than those who allowed Len Brown to hike rates by 9.9% last year.”
“The policy victory concerning waste, and our distribution of 72,000 leaflets throughout Rodney and Albany is just the beginning. We hope
that those who talk the talk about rates will walk the walk and sign the pledge so that we can actively promote them as
being on the side of ratepayers.”
ENDS
ends