Lower Hutt Rates
I am pleased that Mr Campbell Barry has stepped down. Since he has been in office, he has increased our rates by 70%. Initially there was a 40% increase because of increased house prices (I would argue that such a huge rise was not necessary), and since then there was the 17% last year and now a further 10%!! This is unconscionable, especially since it went across the struggle post covid and the economic difficulty in Wellington since many people were made redundant. The rates rises were not just for essential services either - millions were spent on the (unwanted) Petone parking meters (not essential) and the (unwanted) addition of water meters. The parking meters in Petone are a prime example of the City council not being interested in what their rate payers want! The hourly rate of $3 adds a lot to the cost of doing business in Petone. It would be a real shame if the greed of the Council leads to the destruction of Petone’s central business district! It would seem that the city Council is using us as an ATM to create ways of gouging us some more. They seem determined to bleed us dry and there seems to be no way of stopping them. As of next year they are going to charge us for water usage over and above our rates. This has got to stop. They are already taking almost half of my pension!
It would please me hugely if the new councillors we vote in show a concern for the wellbeing of their constituents. It would be lovely if they instituted a cap of 5% of total house value on the rates. Hopefully when the water meters kick in they will give us a rebate for the amount we would have paid for water services, so that the water metering does not add more to the already onerous amount we are paying them. Please make your vote count.
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
-
53.2% Yes
-
46.8% No
GARDENER WANTED
Looking for recommendations for a gardener (no lawn-mowing), who can give our gardens and section the TLC they deserve (weeding, pruning, diggng out, planting and binning old garden waste) and anything else you may see that needs doing.
Thanks in advance 🙂
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
Loading…
