Unacceptable Rates Increase
I believe the rates increases proposed are too excessive.
According to your own rates department 80% of people will pay more for their rates. The remaining 20% with no increase will either be empty land or land with very low value buildings.
The average rates increase for the first year will be 9.5% but for many the rate increase will be much higher.
You imply that the real increases under the capital value rating scheme will affect new houses or those properties with larger buildings when this is not the case.
I have an old state house in Hamilton East which is only 80 square meters yet my rates will increase by 15% next year. With another 9.5% added in the second year that’s 25% in two years.
This is unacceptable.
Council needs to come back to the public with an option that allows for a 3.8% increase. This will mean stopping projects such as buying property on Victoria street etc.
The huge rates increase is because of these pet projects not because we don’t have enough to pay
for our essential services.
Let the public decide. It is their money. Make your submission against the 10 year plan.
Waikato Hospital needs to be open about mistakes
EDITORIAL: For all the travails assailing public hospitals, transparency should not be one of them.
Hospitals used to own up to their mistakes in a very public fashion. Each year they published a list of “Sentinel Events” — the most serious incidents involving patient harm.
That window of openness has slammed shut.
Poll: Are you a Te Huia fan?
All three Hamilton MPs appear to be united behind the retention of the Te Huia passenger rail service between Hamilton and Auckland, as well as potentially expanding it to Tauranga.
But whether Hamilton East’s Ryan Hamilton, Hamilton West’s Tama Potaka and soon-to-be Labour list MP Georgie Dansey have the combined power to shunt transport minister Chris Bishop and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon onto their line of thinking remains to be seen.
Are you a Te Huia fan? Tell us more in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
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81.6% Yes
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18.4% No
Poll: Should the government levy industries that contribute to financial hardship?
As reported in the Post, there’s a $30 million funding gap in financial mentoring. This has led to services closing and mentors stepping in unpaid just to keep helping people in need 🪙💰🪙
One proposed solution? Small levies on industries that profit from financial hardship — like banks, casinos, and similar companies.
So we want to hear what you think:
Should the government ask these industries to contribute?
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60% Yes, supporting people is important!
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25.7% No, individuals should take responsibility
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14.3% ... It is complicated
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