'Listen to locals, not councils' – Taxpayers’ Union tells Simon Watts to commit to rates capping legislation

Local Government Minister Simon Watts has today suggested rates capping laws are still on the table following a proposed 16 percent rates increase by Tauranga City Council.

Sam Warren, Local Government Campaigns Manager for the Taxpayers’ Union, said:

“We’ve been pushing for rates capping laws for years. Used in the UK and states of Australia—they’re neither new, nor radical. But they are effective.”

“Rates on average increased 15 percent last year alone, far higher than inflation and salary growth. Councils too readily have shifted the burden of their own bad spending decisions onto the shoulders of ratepayers. Enough, we say.”

“Meanwhile Minister Watts had refused to engage with us on the issue, despite his predecessor, Simeon Brown, clearly being interested in this as a way to manage excessive rates increases.”

“Rather than engaging with us, Watts has spent the last few months meeting with Local Government New Zealand, a pro-Council lobby group paid millions with ratepayers’ money from subscribed councils, who are doing their best to steer Watts back from the policy.”

“Our advice to Watts is ‘do not listen to them’. If this is finally a sign that you are actually committing to effective rates capping—don’t budge an inch or allow councils to water it down in any form.”