HOW DO YOU REACT TO A FUEL TAX FOR HAMILTON
Revealed: Hamilton City Council aiming for regional fuel tax by 2020, documents show
Hamilton's growth and infrastructure committee chair Dave MacPherson says a fuel tax is critical. He told Newshub work to get one over the line will ramp up later this year.
"We're not far off pushing the go button with Government for a second shot at that. A good time to start in the discussions over transport will be over the next year so we can get it locked down to start in just under two years time.
"We've put it on the table with the Ministry of Transport. Beyond that we haven't made any moves but we sure will in about four months' time otherwise we're going to have the gridlock that's been in Auckland."
MacPherson says Waikato District Council want in on the tax too.
"The whole corridor between Hamilton and Auckland ought to be included. Both councils are of the opinion.
"We can't see how some of the important advances are going to be funded unless we can get this. Safety projects, public transport projects, roading projects, they're all being held up because of lack of resources."
MacPherson has a simple message for the Prime Minister.
"You agreed to a fuel tax in Auckland to fund important transport projects up there, we're growing faster in our sub-region than Auckland is itself on a proportional basis.
"Why would you not agree to it in our area? Let's be logical here, if you don't want a fuel tax, fine, find us another revenue gathering mechanism."