Up to 6,000 Aucklanders eligible for rate support

Email
Print

Up to 6,000 Aucklanders eligible for rate support

3News NZ

Some Auckland homeowners have been hit harder than others

Some Auckland homeowners have been hit harder than others

Up to 6,000 Aucklanders property-owners ineligible for rates capping may instead qualify for a special grant.

Auckland Council announced the scheme after an outcry from residents who are facing sizeable rates hikes.

The grants will allow some ratepayers with “changed properties” to receive the same rates transition benefits as if they hadn’t altered their properties.

To be eligible for the grant scheme properties must meet the following criteria:

  • have been renovated, or
  • had an additional separately used or inhabited part added, or
  • another change of a similar nature, i.e. an additional room or increased floor area or
  • a combination of the above.

Auckland mayor Len Brown says the grant scheme will benefit around 5400 homeowners and approximately 600 businesses.

3 News

Post a Comment

Before commenting, please take the time to read our moderation guide


(Won't be published)



Comments

26/08/2012 9:35:17 p.m.

Mike wrote:

Len is just following standard Labour policy - 'If you have anything, we will take it off you'

Len wont be happy till only the council can afford to own land as they dont charge themselves rates.

The side issue is the city wont have any services either, but wait, everyone will have equality of no council services!

Councils should provide core services and do it well, not treat rates as a endless source of funds to be raise forever.

Rates should be charged fairly to everyone. Not this, charge top rates to almost everyone, but give a free lunch to these select few.

Auckland rail is a joke with trains not runing on time, even not runing at all. And the greenies wonder why we are investing in roading not rail, when the standard of rail in NZ is so poor? Its not like the rail can claim its delayed due to heavy traffic like the roads. Overseas they have extra carriages to handle peak load, plus the trains run on time, and cheaply. Here its cheaper to run a car than use the train in most cases, plus its more timely.

17/08/2012 3:38:05 p.m.

Greg wrote:

Your rates are going to double in ten years, then double again, then double again, then double again, do you see your wages going up to match this, I dont. Its a stupid change. Babyboomers will be selling up and taking their money to Aussie, I am retiring to Thailand in 16 years. Just put a price on the service for gods sake, what idiots we vote for.

17/08/2012 12:33:33 p.m.

Aucklander wrote:

A link would be useful - there's nothing visible on the Auckland Council website.

17/08/2012 12:10:03 p.m.

Mike Mapperson wrote:

A small concession, just window dressing. I abhor the "pea and 3 cups" trick that is the latest rates notices. Will Len Brown tell Aucklanders how much all councils plus Metrowater collected in rates and water/waste water charges in the last full year of independence and then how much the Super City plus Watercare will collect in 2012-13. Then we will see the true cost of his largesse in budgeting. In setting current rates Brown paid no regard to the fact that rates have increased nearly 10% per year in the past decade and he thinks he can just keep squeezing. Learn from history. LA became bankrupt and Auckland could easily do the same.