NoMoreRates.com
THE CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF COUNCIL RATES WITH A FAIRER SYSTEM INCLUDING RESTRAINTS ON COUNCILS
ABILITY TO INCREASE EXPENDITURE WITHOUT THE SPECIFIC APPROVAL OF THE COMMUNITY
14 August 2006 Media Release
Tuesday Could Be a Critical Day for Revolting Ratepayers
The New Zealand First members of parliament will tomorrow discuss the whole issue of council rates at its caucus
meeting.
In particular that caucus will decide its position on the Rating Cap Bill which is due back in Parliament next week on
23rd August.
For the last few days NoMoreRates supporters, including GreyPower, have been inundating NZ First MPs with emails
demanding that they support the Bill through to select committee.
NoMoreRates founder/organiser David Thornton has been seeking a meeting with NZ First leader Winston Peters in order to
put to him the concerns being expressed throughout the country – and pointing out that among those affected were
superannuitants who had formed a significant part of the NZ First power base at recent elections.
Mr. Peters, in an email to David Thornton, then advised that his caucus would consider the whole issue at its next
meeting on 15 August.
NZ First has stated its policy is to have a Commission of Inquiry into local body funding, but David Thornton has
responded by pointing out that such an inquiry would take years and ratepayers wanted action now to put the brakes on
unsustainable rate increases
The Rating Cap Bill would do that – even if it was a temporary measure until a new system of council funding was put in
place.
With Labour/Progressive and Greens opposing the Bill, and National, ACT, United Future and Maori in favour, the voting
in Parliament is locked at 57 votes each.
The votes of NZ First members will decide the outcome – and ratepayers throughout the country are watching and waiting
for the critical decision by that Party’s caucus tomorrow.
ENDS