Dear Friend,

We need to hold local councils to account

Last year, local councils went wild with rate hikes. Five percent in Auckland, 9% in Rotorua, 12% in New Plymouth, 13.5% in Wellington, 15% in Tauranga, and an unbelievable 29% in South Wairarapa. And now they’re using high inflation as an excuse to do it all over again!

But this year, there is a chance to hold them to account. At the Taxpayers’ Union, we believe that councillors who ramp up rates in denial of pressures on households do not deserve to be re-elected in October’s council elections.

Friend, will you chip in so the Taxpayers’ Union can hire a specialist local government campaigner?

On one hand, we must continuously step up our efforts to hold the Beehive to account for its wasteful spending and the Three Waters asset grab. But in a local election year, we need to walk and chew gum. I am counting on your support so we have the resources available to step up to the challenge and hold wasteful councils to account.

We have identified a standout candidate, uniquely qualified to deliver on the following:

• Dominating local council budget consultations with anti-rates hike submissions
• Pressuring mayoral and council candidates to sign a “ratepayer pledge” that commits them to opposing unjustified rates hikes
• Exposing local candidates that support the Three Waters asset grab
• Investigating and publicising cases of wasteful council spending and exposing those responsible
• Ranking councils by performance in our annual local government league tables

Our candidate for this role has experience working in Parliament, in the private sector, and in the belly of the beast at Auckland Transport. He is a passionate democrat and is riled up by the endemic failures of accountability in local government. He is keen and ready to join the team.

But before we can take them on, we need the budget. We are determined not to cut into our existing campaigns to challenge the politicians in Wellington and defeat the Three Waters.

Will you make a contribution to ensure the Taxpayers’ Union can beat back rates-mad councils up and down the country?

We recently had a major victory with fuel tax relief. We can almost taste victory on Three Waters. Your support means we can extend that effectiveness to local government.

Click here to make that happen.

Thank you for making this possible.

Jordan Williams Executive Director New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.