Councils Holding the Country to Ransom

[eri]

someone below

is who i want for next mayor

Six councillors are expected to vote against the budget - they are

- Cameron Brewer, Chris Fletcher, Denise Krum, Sharon Stewart, George Wood and Dick Quax.

The other five councillors

- Cathy Casey, Ross Clow, Mike Lee, Wayne Walker and John Watson

- have serious reservations about the budget

Mr Brewer is planning an amendment calling for the council to instruct Mr Town to

commit to a smaller targeted rate of $58.99 contained in this year's budget documents and finding the rest of the funding from within existing budgets

when next year's budget comes around.

Mr Brewer said having less than half the council supporting the budget was a political and leadership disaster for Mr Brown.

"That's no political mandate for a 9.9 per cent average residential rates increase.

"Particularly when you consider that more than 80 per cent of submissions on the budget disagreed with even a 3.5 per cent rates increase," he said.

Mr Brown refused to comment yesterday.

[Wayne]

Mr Brewer said having less than half the council supporting the budget was a political and leadership disaster for Mr Brown.

"That's no political mandate for a 9.9 per cent average residential rates increase.

"Particularly when you consider that more than 80 per cent of submissions on the budget disagreed with even a 3.5 per cent rates increase," he said.

No mention of what a disaster it is for Auckland!

[Perry]

Too big to fail, all over again.

It didn't work well, then and
I doubt it will, this time.

[Perry]

If you are really against you should vote against otherwise you are as good as voting for.

Too true. I think it may be called the Thomas Moore doctrine: silence bespeaks consent.

[JABlog]

The release made no mention of a "special circumstances" provision, which Justice Geoffrey Venning said "required notification in this case".
The council has spent about $500,000 in legal cost defending its decisions to grant the consents late last year.

It seems there was a provision to to notify public yet they chose to hold them in disregard.

This is a blatant misuse of the public office and they should be held to account.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/n...ectid=11469860

[eri]

brown's bottom

It is a total nonsense for Auckland councillors to abstain on a new 10-year budget, says Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Michael Barnett.

The business leader today said the budget, which takes average household rates to 9.9 per cent, is a not fit for purpose and councillors should not abstain.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11469768

[Wayne]

Councillors who abstain from the budget vote should resign - they are expected to make decisions.
In fact they are paid to make decisions!

[Perry]

Obviously that doesn't include
a decision to abstain.

[Wayne]

Obviously .

[speights boy]

Excellent news.

User pays.
Pay for the growth you want yourselves.

You've had enough hand outs from the rest of the country's taxpayers.

Len Brown's budget passes

[elguapo]

Excellent news.

User pays.
Pay for the growth you want yourselves.

You've had enough hand outs from the rest of the country's taxpayers.

Len Brown's budget passes

Can someone explain how this works?

The Auditor-General, Lyn Provost, warned councillors they would be in breach of the law if the budget was not passed by next Tuesday.

How can a (so-called), democratic vote have only one outcome is legal? What law, specifically is broken by the rejection of the budget?

[speights boy]

I think it was something to do with a 30th June time limit on the current audit in place.

After that, the audit is not valid which means the council would be raising / spending funds illegally.

Something along those lines.

[PTILoveYou]

The budget has been passed... (getting out my rent review forms)

[Damap]

Yay more rental income. The big question is do you add 15 or 30% margin on top of the actual cost I guess.

[eri]

brown destroying ratepayer democracy

with blackmail budget

roll on the ratepayer rebellion

over undemocratic processes

dodgy dealings

and morally bankrupt liars

.....

27% rate rises for many

forced to pay

up to 4? poorly targeted rates