Mayoral Statements/Stance

Geoff from Rototuna North

The Mayor made a statement that was somewhat disingenuous at Tim MacIndoe’s meeting Fri 16th Feb 18.
“Everyone’s property has doubled in value over the last 5 years”.
He was asked via e-mail what was the relevance of that statement?

It bore no resemblance to the issue at the time i.e. rates increase and was pure prevarication. He has failed to respond.

A perusal of my own property records reveals the following for the 10 years 2007/08 – 2017/18:

2007/08 2017/18 $ Rise % Rise

CV $345,000 $485,000 = $140,000 40.58% rise in value

Rates $1105.16 $2365.31 = $1260.15 114.02% rise in rates.

Effectively the property has increased in value by less than half; however, the rates have more than doubled over 10 years.

Believe he was introducing a ‘red herring’ to throw the audience ‘off the track’ and succeeded.

What relevance has the CV of your property got to do with the services provided, it is inherently unfair. Admittedly some services are for the public good e.g. roads, however, there must be a fairer way to appropriate the cost, other than striking a rate-in-the-dollar on the Capital Value of your property each year to gain the required revenue and disproportionately spread the burden.

He stated that council was to explore operational methods of Claudelands perhaps disposal would be more beneficial. To date, Claudelands has lost $50,187,838. The A & P Association availability of use could be a condition of the sale.

He now supports a Hamilton Auckland commuter train, when during the election campaign he was vehemently opposed.

What has changed?

170 passengers per weekday subsidised by 158,500 ratepayers is grossly unfair. I may have been one of those 6 voters that got him across the line. In future, I will not support those campaigning or supporting a commuter train.