By 3 News online staff
A new draft budget released by Auckland Mayor Len Brown is asking Aucklanders to pay for a 2.9 percent rates rise.
It's just over half of what was envisaged in the council's long term plan before the mayor asked for cuts from all departments - but some say the cuts are being made in the wrong places.
“We’re doing everything we can to ensure that our services, policy advice, all that sort of stuff, is actually delivered from inside the council rather than consultants,” he told Firstline this morning.
Mr Brown denies raising rates and cutting services, such as trimming grass verges, will put ratepayers under pressure.
“It is a rate increase, but at 2.9 [percent] it is well below the average in New Zealand,” he says, “I think most Aucklanders will be pretty happy that we’re genuinely going for savings.”
3 News