Posted 24 Aug 06

Well Rodney Hides bill on capping rates in parliament failed last night, is there better way of rates being set as I am paying over 10k and like most of us not getting anywhere near value for money, so guys give me some feed back

Posted 28 Aug 06

Just paid my rates last week and see that on one 120ha block with 1km of road frontage unsealed I am paying over $2000 just for the roading rate and have to complain all the time for repairs to be done. I would like to know why I am paying so much when I also pay fuel tax, RUC and its a public road that every one is entitled to use.

Posted 12 Sep 06

So I see from your comment your local council is now in the rental business, now long have they been doing this?.
I agree with you that this country lacks people power, while we all follow like sheep and do nothing about it they will keep walking over us, we must be getting close to the point that someone will start standing up and say enough is enough and hopefully the people will get in behind and support him or her.This country seems to lack leadership in so many areas,we need more direction,we seem to be just patching things up day by day and until that person stands up I can see nothing will change.

Posted 28 Aug 06

Hi

Don't know of a better way but they have to do something very soon or they will have a revolt on their hands.

In my local paper their has been a lot of talk on this subject lately and people are just feed up with paying a fortune and getting hardly any services.

What do others think??????

Posted 23 Sep 06

I have just read all the stuff on here about rates and what it's costing.

I understand that rates are what keeps the community going. I also understand that local councils are governed by the powers that be.
What I don't understand is that if the councils were so unhappy with the government directive re their 10 year plans why did they not stand up to them and say so. From what "Insider" has said most councils were not happy.
Maybe it's time the councils stood up for themselves and did what they are lected for "to serve the district that employs them".

Posted 12 Sep 06

Hello

I am a council employee. I would like to share with this forum the insider's view of how rating works and why you pay the rates you do.

I want to contribute to this forum because I believe that an informed debate on rating is long overdue. But I am also very aware that local government finances are very complicated which makes it very difficult to have a proper debate. If I can share the local government point of view I hope that the current debate and pending government enquiry into rating will be more useful.

I have chosen to contribute anonymously for two reasons: (1) I will probably make a few remarks about central government and some ratepayers that are not flattering and (2) I am jut a messenger and do not want to get involved in specific questions about my own Council's policies and practices.

My first point is that you need to take what the media, lobby groups and central government politicians say with a grain of salt. Let's take a look at the frequent statement that we are facing years of double digit rates rises. This is both true and untrue.

This year, for the first time, councils were forced by Audit NZ to publish their ten year projections using inflation-adjusted numbers. Up and down the country Councils had to pluck ten years worth of inflation predictions out of thin air and apply them to their financial plans. We have never done that before and no council wanted to do this as it makes it impossible to identify where there are real changes to cost. Unfortunately we had no choice. It was a case of either complying or having an audit opinion which effectively said that the plan was unreliable. All councils chose to comply. So, if you want to know what the real rises might be you have to go through and take the inflation adjustments back out. Once you do that many councils will not be proposing double digit rates rises in today's dollars.

My first question to anyone on their soapbox today then would be whether they are taking the numbers straight from this year's ten year plans or whether they have adjusted the numbers to take the inflation factors back out.

Posted 11 Sep 06

i have seen the mayor of where I live in one of our local meetings, and his arrogance was beyond belief..i think he thinks he is superior to us peons..i think he now believes that we are peons..have seen this attitude in many sectors of our political scenes.. i also had a 1200dollar increase in my rates..they say in the rates demand that my place can be rented out for $110,000 a year..wow,really, then get me a tenent, I will move out and take the money...
One thing we lack in this country is the people power!!
here and there many wishful politicos come and promise, but most of the time end up in the heap of the predecessor.. We the people need to tell these aspiring politicos, local or central, that they work for us, not for them..and to let them know that in no uncertain terms,
is for us to retain the power of recall...the right to terminate
mayors, councillors, MP's, the governements, before their due time..that is democracy...talking about revolt is arhaic..
there are countries that have this, and there are mayors,
governors, and etc., who have been recalled, and lost their
seats or posts only a few months into office..that power, if we the people keep, will keep those politicos in check...

Posted 3 Oct 06

re to insider., since you are an employee of a council, its no use beating you over the head unless you are the mayor!
But if all councils are being dictated to by Audit NZ, i have a problem..
Every council in every district should have their own agenda according to what they manifested to do, and then if they were elected, to work on what they promised to the locals for the local benefit and advancement..as far as the local commnity agrees to the extrent.
I have a question,, does local councils get any distribution of tax collected by the central government in proportion to the population or tax paid from that area? or, does local
councils soley rely on rates take from the community?

I also have a problem with local and districts councils at odds with each others' priorities and double tasking around the same districts.
I also have a problem with councils changing it form to become more corporate in their structures. what is the reason for this? inevitably this will result in more aspiring projects of each individual place to lead, then the need for more capital and overhead and ra-ra-ra..which inevitably leads to necessity for higher rates..
What I laugh about the whole issue, is that all these grandiose ideas of councils are solely dependent on the rates for funding..none have I ever heard statements from any couoncils on how these "subsidiariess" are there to
generate income for the councils so that these councils can deliver services without rates increase, and their goal being better services with lower rates..
I challenge you council blokes, insider, are their any real
"brains" being employed by councils? or are most just there for the cushy guaranteed jobs?
there are many, many ways all councils could raise finances
instead of just saying rates to go up 6-7-to 10% PA for the next 10years... I say, brush these aside and let them clean the streets...