Fresh ideas on funding find favour

Aucklanders have warmed to several ideas for new sources of funding from the independent inquiry into rates, including councils making more use of user charges and the Government putting aside a small amount of GST into a fund to pay for water infrastructure.

A Herald-DigiPoll also found strong support from residents in the four big cities for the Government paying rates on crown properties such as schools and hospitals.

But another recommendation from the inquiry for councils to take on more debt was rejected.

The Government has yet to respond to 96 recommendations from the inquiry team. The inquiry said Auckland councils need to defer projects, borrow more and set higher user charges to soften the blow of rate rises over the next decade.