Phil Goff snubs ratepayers
27 March 2018
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is appalled of today’s behaviour of Auckland Mayor Phil Goff in walking out of the
Council Chamber just prior to New Zealand’s largest ratepayer group making its scheduled submission on the Mayor’s
10-year Budget and Waste Management and Minimisation Plan (WMMP).
“The Mayor was happy to listen to organisations praising his high-rates agenda, such as ratepayer-funded Council
sock-puppet ‘Heart of the City’, but as soon as it was ratepayers’ turn to present – to remind him of his pre-election
rates promises – he left the chamber,” said Jordan Williams, spokesperson for the Ratepayers’ Alliance.
“The Mayor didn’t just turn his back on the Ratepayers’ Alliance, he wilfully ignored the more than 5,000 submissions
made through our website, with the common themes of opposing rate hikes, the regional fuel tax, and the proposed changes
to waste management.”
“In our submission, we explained how Auckland Council could continue to upgrade infrastructure without punishing
ratepayers – if the Mayor delivered the 3-6% efficiencies he promised, the regional fuel tax wouldn’t be needed.”
“We also pointed out the dishonesty in the Council’s WMMP feedback forms, which don’t even mention the proposal to move
kerbside general waste collection to a fortnightly service.”
“While the Mayor wasn’t there to listen, other Councillors were. Ratepayers have just one more day to submit on the
Council’s 10-year Budget and Waste Plan, which can be easily done at ratepayers.nz.”
ENDS