'We need rates capping' – Taxpayers’ Union slams Tauranga Council for $200,000 spend on short videos

Tauranga City Council has come under for fire for spending $200,000 on a series of short videos amidst a 12.5 percent rates increase.

Sam Warren, Local Government Campaigns Manager for the Taxpayers’ Union, slammed the Council’s spend, saying:

“Again and again, we’re seeing completely shameful spending by Tauranga City Council. Ratepayers demand one thing: to stick to the basics. When will they get the message?”

“Unfortunately, Tauranga have form in this space—and this is just one of many recent expenditures exposing their lack of respect to ratepayers.”

“How can they justify a 12.5 percent rates hike on top of last year’s 13.1 percent? Together, that’s a compound increase of more than 27 percent in just the last two years alone.”

“Rates capping laws are urgently needed to reign councils and get them focused on providing core services—not nice-to-haves.”