Lower Hutt Rates

Jenny from Petone

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.