Anger at rates rise
Re Far North District Council 2016/17 rates.
My rates bill arrived in the post this morning. My reaction, as I would think that of many others, was of consternation, and then anger. Another 5.5 per cent rise with no explanation whatever as to how that increase was arrived at, nor notification of any increase at all.
Please tell me where people are supposed to find these funds, when nobody I know, apart from some FNDC employees, have had an annual increase in income of this size?
The council is around $100 million in debt, and the annual interest on that debt is around $6 million. Taking an average of say $2500 rates paid per household, means that it takes 2400 households' rates paid, just to pay off that interest; that's right, just the interest, nothing else! How on earth has such a debt been allowed to accumulate, and why should we pay for it? The problem is we are compulsory shareholders in this appallingly run 'company". The 'chairman', Mayor Carter, when elected, made a mission statement to make the FNDC the friend of the ratepayer, rather than the adversary, and we optimistically hoped for a new dawn. Well, apparently it is politically incorrect to say 'you failed' (miserably), and have to say you 'under-performed' instead. I was never known for my political correctness! What to do to stop this insidious ever increasing theft? Is there a national ombudsman who could be asked to put commissioners in to run the council? Enough is enough; we are sick of it.
