Phil Goff proposes 'one-off' 5 percent rates increase after 'unprecedented' $1b loss
Releasing the mayoral proposal for Auckland's 10-year budget, Goff says "we need to take more urgent action now". "This recovery budget aims to meet the challenges posed by COVID-19 and the massive financial impact it has had on the city, while ensuring that the burden on ratepayers is kept as low and fair as possible," Goff says.
"This not a slash-and-burn budget but it's also not the budget we had hoped to put out at the start of the year. We have to accept that COVID has changed our financial landscape and change our plans accordingly."
The budget responds to the COVID-19 loss by:
=====================================
***Locking in savings of at least $90 million each year for the next three years
***Selling surplus properties to invest in critical infrastructure
***Temporarily increasing borrowing for three years by lifting the debt-to-revenue ratio to up to 290 percent, then returning to the current level
***Increasing rates by 5 percent by one year before returning to 3.5 percent the following year
======================================
Goff warns without taking these measures "our city will go backwards". "We don't want a city full of potholes and unkept parks, so we need to take more urgent action now," he says. "While not all Aucklanders will be thrilled with a one-off rates bump of $36, it is a one-off measure that amounts to less than 70 cents a week for the average property. "Now is not the time to cut back on fixing our city's infrastructure. We have been catching up on decades of underinvestment through our previous 10-year budget and were making significant progress on our infrastructure deficit. We cannot allow that momentum to be wasted."
=========================================================
Poll: Does the building consent process need to change?
We definitely need homes that are fit to live in but there are often frustrations when it comes to getting consent to modify your own home.
Do you think changes need made to the current process for building consent? Share your thoughts below.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.
-
91.7% Yes
-
8% No
-
0.3% Other - I'll share below!
Food and product recalls
These items have been recalled during the last month. If you have any of these items at home, click on the title to see the details:
Product recalls
Avanti, Malvern Star & Raleigh bicycles
Yoto Kids Speaker
Anko Kids Pyjamas
Battery drill chainsaw attachment
Industrial pedestal misting fan
Yamaha adaptor
Zero Tower safety harness
Naturacoco moisturising cream
Thule child bike seat
Food recalls:
Maketū pies mussel pie
The Catering Studio cottage pie
Matakana Smokehouse gravlax/salmon
Our Fruit Box fruit juices
ProLife Foods value packs - nuts, raisins.
YY Dumplings & Fu Yuan ready-to-eat meat products
Waiheke Herbs italian herb spread
We hope this message was helpful in keeping your household safe.
Mindfulness sessions in Titirangi
Mindfulness sessions @ Titirangi Community House with a certified mindfulness coach, every Friday 8-9pm starting 03 May.
Mindfulness is known to reduce stress, anxiety, and reactivity while improving attention, sleep, and overall wellbeing.
Cost: koha (pay as much as you can afford).
Bookings are essential as spaces are limited @
mindful-friday-titirangi.lilregie.com...