Rise in rates angers resident

RACHEL PINDER
Disgruntled Napier resident Giovannina Cantale is up in arms about having to pay a bigger chunk in rates than people who live in more modest areas of the city.
On average, ratepayers living in the prestigious beachside suburbs of Ahuriri and Westshore are now facing increases of 17.2 per cent after land values increased by 220 per cent.
Originally from Holland, Giovannina, aged 40, moved to New Zealand seven years ago, and has owned her house in Battery Road, Ahuriri, for the past two and a half years.
A self-employed renovator, she is doing it up to try to increase its value, but she says the price hike in rates is not helping.
She said: "Why should I have to pay more because I'm still getting all the same services as everyone else living in other areas of Napier? This is the biggest jump in rates I've seen in a long time.
"And I don't really see why it should go up. It's not even as if I've got a great seaside view, as I can't see anything beyond the house on the opposite side of the road.
"Maybe Ahuriri is getting a little bit trendy, but I think it's unfair that we should pay more in Battery Road."
Not just residents in Battery Road, Ahuriri, are being lumbered with bigger rates bills. People living in the smart suburb areas of The Esplanade, Charles Street and Ferguson Avenue in Westshore are not getting off lightly, either.
Retired airforce navigator Murray Bond, 64, lives with his wife, Sheena, who is also retired, in The Esplanade. They have lived in the property for the past 13 years, and have noticed the rates shoot up much more rapidly in the past five years.
Murray said: "The system of setting rates is biased in favour of lower-valued areas. In this day and age I can't see why it's necessary to have such a huge difference in the rates because we get no more council services than anyone else.
"And most of the elderly people who live in Westshore moved here at a time when nobody wanted to live here, and it was not really a desirable area then.
"But now we have a situation where we're going to struggle to pay the higher rates, simply because we chose to live by the sea."
One property in Battery Road, Ahuriri, has had its land value increased by a staggering 438 per cent, incurring a rates increase of 45.6 per cent. The owner was not available for comment.
Meanwhile, Taradale ratepayers can look forward to a 4.2 per cent reduction. But the figures do not account for a planned 4.5 per cent general rates rise for 2006-2007.
The latest hike in rates of up to 45 per cent comes after last year's official revaluation in which properties shot up in value.
Now the tables are turned, as all those who had smaller increases can look forward to reduced rates bills.