15.8% rates hike shows Tauranga Long Term Plan must be delayed until after democracy returns

Responding to news that Tauranga City Council is proposing a 15.8% rates hike, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said:

“With the Taxpayers’ Union’s latest Ratepayers’ Report revealing Tauranga City Council had 190.5 FTE Managers on a median salary of $263,700 and an annual spend on consultants and contractors of over $15 million, it’s clear to see where the Council’s priorities have been over the last few years.

“Years of waste on a bloated bureaucracy are coming back to bite ratepayers. The Council needs to hold its hands up and start making the necessary back-office cuts before it considers taking even more from residents struggling through the cost-of-living crisis.

“Tauranga’s commissioners are far too used to not being accountable to ratepayers at the ballot box. If residents needed proof that their long-term plan must be delayed until after democracy returns to Tauranga, then they don’t need to look any further than this latest cash grab.”