There is no need for council's to sell assets to raise local body funds.
Why should far example 55,000 ratepayers in Tauranga pay to give all Tauranga residents the rights to the use of the infrastructures and amenities that exist in Tauranga? Everyone working and on the dole and benefits pays taxes to central govt to run the country. Now why can't every taxpayer pay a tax to support local bodies?
I see it as almost criminal that I and others are almost rated out of our houses and yet a family or group of mates in rented house pay nothing. There could be say eight people living in a house and all working and only the landlord pays rates who doesn't use any of the amenities provided to that house.
Auckland has the same problem with 500,000 ratepayers and nearly two million people live there. Where is the fairness in that one has to ask ?
The poor old ratepayer not only has to pay for the running of the city he/she has to pay for the stupidity that abounds in local bodies in NZ. Look at Auckland where some idiot decided it was okay to put in corrugated iron storm water drains. Obviously iron will rust and the corrugations will cause turbulence and slow the flow of water through those drains, really the head idiot in NZ gave the OK for such drains to be put in place.
Ratepayers in NZ really need to be more discerning in who they vote for, especially in the larger centres like Tauranga.
Alastair Bourne, Bethlehem.
7 comments
You'd have to ask
Posted on 25-05-2012 23:09 | By Phailed
Alastair, why did you come to live in Tauranga? That said, it seems you're advocating a poll tax, which although I think might be fairer doesn't seem to go down well. On the other hand I'm sure landlords charge "rates" included in the rents.
POLL TAX PHAILED
Posted on 26-05-2012 11:17 | By PLONKER
That wont happen because the majority of those voting do want to keep the existing rating system, so they don't have to pay, rates are really a "wealth tax" where only the property owners pay for everything for all. certainly not right nor fair. I like the idea of a Dunny tax, that the Council should move the water meters from the water supply to the sewer system, the dunny actually, the more you flush the more you pay.
Dont vote - it only encourages more theft
Posted on 26-05-2012 12:18 | By The Tomahawk Kid
Of course a Poll tax is unpopular - it means all the Freeloaders will be required to pay the same as everybody else. It is human nature to get a bargain, or something for nothing, so of course that is what they will seek. It is what democracy does- ie the biggest GANG (regardless of if they are right or wrong) gets to impose their will on the minority. The system is faulty and needs to change, but while we are all (mostly) human thoes wishing to get a bargain or something for free will continue to have their way. Its what you all demand, so stop moaning about it, or change who you vote for. All the while we continue to give our permission to mindless morons of the red, Blue, Green and Black parties to continue this immoral system. I say Don't vote - it only encourages them to continue.
NO VOTE
Posted on 27-05-2012 13:52 | By TERMITE
That will make it worse than before, cos they vote, we need to encourage more votes not less, less than 40% voted last time. Where it goes wrong I think is that there are over a million people in NZ that get handouts from WINZ and so on, they of course do not want anything to stop do they.
No vote for non contrbutors ?
Posted on 27-05-2012 22:24 | By Hebegeebies
Alastair you make some very good points. While a landlord might try to foist rates on to tenants that is not effective for the reasons you alluded to.Perhaps the answer to keep the TCC turkeys in line would be that only ratepayers can vote for Council- my my what a different look Council would have about it then !!!
Still dont vote
Posted on 28-05-2012 17:43 | By The Tomahawk Kid
You mean you want to encourage more people who want a share in other peoples money to vote? You are asking for more people to vote away your rights and property, which will result in you being robbed more than you are now! Sounds like self-inflicted pain to me :-) Hebegeebies would be closer to the mark, although I would take it a step further to deny those receiving government benefits from voting also. I refuse to vote for a political party OR a councillor who does things I disagree with. Why would you give them your permission - thats stupid. Just like voting for the worst of 2 evils! You still get Evil! I refuse to encourage them.
Amenities unfair burden on ratepayers
Posted on 29-05-2012 15:50 | By algail
Let me first say I moved to Tauranga for the climate. The climate related to weather not n the financial rip of culture I have discovered since I moved here. If you read my posting again you will note that I did say the landlord pays rates but that he / she doesn't use any of the amenities proved to that house the tenants do . Granted the rates are included in the rental fee but that doesn't alter the fact that more than the landlord are using the amenities. I do not advocate a poll tax per se I advocate that all who earn a wage or are paid a benefit who don't contribute to the community costs via the rating system should pay something. In America such a system happily has happily operated for a long long time with state taxes which is another way of part funding councils. A dunny tax is fine as long as it is worked on the amount that is measured leaving the property but who would pay that? What would be the cost of a monitoring system ? Every household would have to pay such a fee not only the single person paying rates on a property. Something has to be done to share the growing burden of financing councils and council wastage of public money. To say don't vote is crazy we should be encouraging ratepayer to vote and somehow get them to vote out many useless councilors that infest so many councils in NZ. I am not asking people to vote our money away I am asking for change. I wonder how a contributor could read into my posting that I want to encourage evil I am constantly asking people to get out at election time a vote the useless out of council and we won't get that if people don't vote. Non contributors don't bother to vote because the council costs and stupidity don't' affect them that might change if they became a contributor and saw their contribution being wasted. Nor all tenants are stupid you know. No vote for non contributors seems a step in the right direction, we have to change direction or councils will soon be unable to operate. Yes the council would have a different look if we took such a step. Alastair Bethlehem
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