A discount for business ratepayers facing high rates increases has been approved - while the council is urging others having difficulty paying their rates to apply for help.
Councillors voted 10 to 2 in favour of applying automatic discounts to 57 Rotorua businesses facing high rates increases at an extraordinary meeting of the Rotorua District Council on Thursday.
Just two councillors, Janet Wepa and Mark Gould, voted against the policy, both saying it was unfair and discriminated against other ratepayers.
Automatic remissions would be applied on November 20.
In August, district councillors agreed to apply automatic rates remissions to 57 business properties in the district at a total cost to ratepayers of $339,095. The remission was applied after the Rotorua business community said the new capital value rating system unfairly penalised business owners with large rates increases.
The council was told by the Office of the Auditor General the policy should go out for public consultation to avoid any future legal challenges.
The council received 30 submissions to its Rates Remission Statement of Proposal, most in favour of the remission policy, but critical of the council for not explaining the impact of its shift to capital value rating more clearly.
At the time, council chief executive Peter Guerin described the rates increases as "the unintended consequences of capital value rating", saying the policy would apply for one year only and would not be applied to residential or rural ratepayers facing similar increases.
Councillors decided to set the remission limit at rates increases of 25 per cent, with a minimum increase of $5000.
During Thursday's meeting Mr Gould tried to amend the policy to allow those facing increases of more than 10 per cent, with a minimum increase of $2000, to automatically receive the a discount as well.
However, Mr Gould received no support and the amendment was dropped.
During a late submission, in which Mayor Kevin Winters allowed Rotorua accountant Len Watson to speak because he was not told of September's hearings, Mr Watson berated councillors for not listening to any opposing views.
"I feel that views somewhat contrary to council's desires are not being listened to," he said.
Mr Watson went on to say he believed the remission policy was discriminatory against all other ratepayers and councillors were merely oiling "the squeaky wheels of the Chamber of Commerce and the businesses it represents".
Councillor Glenys Searancke said since the policy would only apply to a small group of businesses she wanted the council to be pro-active in advertising the fact anyone could apply for rates remissions through the council's standard remission policy.
Councillors agreed with her idea and council staff said they would include a letter to all ratepayers in the next rates invoice advising people how they could apply if they couldn't afford to pay their rates.
Advertisements would also be placed in the city's two local newspapers.
Anyone who thinks they are unable to pay their rates can apply for rates remissions with all applications assessed by councillors, not council staff, on a case-by-case basis.