Taxpayers’ Union Endorses Green Party's Local Government Rates Policy

The Taxpayers’ Union is endorsing the Wellington Green Party local candidates’ and independent Wellington Mayoral candidate Alex Baker’s policy to shift local government rates to be solely based on land and not tax capital improvement as part of rates.

Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams said:

“The Greens are right on this one. Taxing land, rather than housing and development on land, creates the right incentive of avoiding land banking or not putting land to its most productive use, such as housing."

“The current rates regime employed by most councils sees rates as a tax on housing and the very developments that make cities great places to live.”

“The government is currently proposing a series of improvements to local government – including adopting the Taxpayers’ Union’s call for capping rates. Local Government Minister Simon Watts should reach over the aisle and grab this phenomenal policy to realign rates as a tax on land for services provided to a property, rather than operating as a tax on improvement.”

“It is sad to see Ray Chung further disgrace himself by coming out against this policy. We’d urge him to reconsider and put policy ahead of partisanship.”