In the Waitemata Local Board area there are approximately 45,882 private dwellings and 33,756 businesses.
Waitemata ratepayers have also “enjoyed” some of the highest rating valuation increases as a result of Council algorithms (or pure guess work).
Of course, for the last three years our valuations have been declining by greater than the average New Zealand household.
These declines in the Waitemata Local Board area have been 9% on average for each of the last three years - or 27% overall in decreased valuations, that are yet to be reflected in any council valuation.
This is due to the three year “lag” in valuation corrections, and it doesn’t suit council to have declining values reflected in their rates charges, as this would suggest that lower rates are now justified.
Instead, some less astute councillors and the mayor, at the behest of the “Administration Class” have just imposed yet enough 7.9% rates increase upon Auckland ratepayers.
This figure was, at the time, three times the rate of inflation, YET AGAIN!
Inevitably, the highest rates increases will fall into areas such as Waitemata Local Ward. The “havens of the rich”.
The rates collected in the Waitemata Local Ward are enormous - even at an average of say $5,000 then the rates take would be $398,190,000! (Three hundred and ninety-eight MILLION dollars - and that is conservative!)
In the recent Annual Plan councillors have allocated $41,300,000 in operational costs for Waitemata and $14.300,00 in capital expenditure.
Where does the rest of the money go I wonder?
Council salaries currently run at a 25% margin over the national private sector average in case anyone is asking!
Yet the one item that local residents really DO value and wish to see open again is the Leys Institute Library.
The library is not scheduled to reopen until 2028 - having been closed since December 2019 What the …Heck!
Nine (9) YEARS for council to strengthen a single building - That’s council efficiency exposed.
Yet the enormous rates generated in Waitemata are not being spent in Waitemata!. ($398,000,000 collected vs. $55,600,000 spent - or just 14% of income returned to Waitemata..
Instead, we see out Local Board wasting money on unnecessary traffic islands, new bus lanes, no right turn restrictions (Such as into Federal Street from Wellesley Street), cycling amenities for the 1% who actually ride a bike to work, all mandated by the soon to be defunct Auckland Transport “boffins”.
These “improvements” as AT insists on calling them are on top of the removal of public rubbish bins, increased but unnecessary parking restrictions (revenue generators only) on Ponsonby Road and surrounds, to name just a few.
Then Council insults us all, by insisting that permitting high-rise apartment buildings in Wallace Street and Lawrence Street makes sense.
It makes NO SENSE at all within a heritage area (as they surely are) and is purely a drive to cram even more ratepayers into the same sized sections, in the name of generating even higher rates returns for a profligate council and their administration staff.
Wayne Brown argues that Wellington should be returning GST generated in Auckland back to Auckland.
How about we apply precisely the same equation and logic and ask Council and our local ward to actually spend our money in our ward - or return some of it.
We do NOT want council to “Just get on with it”, as Richard Hills would have us do!
Quite the opposite, these projects will have significant impact on our quality of life, and our properties (generally each household's greatest asset), and NO, Richard, we do NOT want you to “Just get on with it”.
We demand consultation, due consideration, ethical research, and restraint before you and your Administrators destroy our neighbourhoods with your ideological clap trap.
ROGER HAWKINS
HERNE BAY
