Rates fears aired

• Published date: 25 April 2024
• Publication title: Clutha Leader

‘‘Rates increases will cost some people their homes,’’ one community member said

Mayor Bryan Cadogan and other councillors said about half of the rates rises, including over 80% of year-one increases, were for legally required Three Waters imperatives.

‘‘If we don’t do the work we get taken to court, then we have to do the the work anyway,’’ he said.

‘‘We don’t make the rules, central government does and we need them to listen.

‘‘Government is offering councils nothing more than debt and rates to cover the work [and] we’re looking at about $600million in costs over 10 years ... across the country it’s unsustainable but it’s only when it bites like this the whole country realises we’re desperately hoping for some intervention for central government.’’

He acknowledged such ‘‘sudden and massive’’ infrastructure investment was due to higher Three Waters...