Rotorua residents set to get cash back

Thousands of Rotorua residents are set to get cash in the hand in the form of rates rebates.

About 2500 locals are getting up to $1.25 million back this financial year, courtesy of the Government's rates rebate scheme which helps low income ratepayers. More will be eligible following a review of the scheme.

The threshold for eligibility for a rebate is set to increase from a combined household income of $20,000 to $21,180 and takes effect from July this year.

Other residential ratepayers with a combined income of less than $30,000 may be entitled to a rates rebate, depending on how much they pay in rates and whether they have any dependants.

The maximum rebate will rise from $500 to $530.

The changes were announced as part of this year's Budget and will mean more Rotorua ratepayers are eligible for a rebate although council staff are not sure how many.

The number of Rotorua ratepayers applying for a rates rebate has increased with about 2500 of the 3000 eligible ratepayers applying in this financial year so far. During the previous year 1847 ratepayers applied.

Those who haven't yet applied this financial year have only three weeks left to do so.

Rotorua District Council corporate services director Jean-Paul Gaston said between $500,000 and $1.25 million of Government money would be given back to eligible ratepayers this financial year.

The council is changing the way it administers the rates rebates scheme.

At the moment ratepayers have to make an appointment with a council officer. Now, the council is going to send an application form to all known eligible ratepayers early in the 2008/2009 financial year.

Ratepayers can post or drop the application form back to the council as long as their signature on the form has been witnessed by a justice of the peace or a court or council officer.

The council's customer service manager, Barbara Jamieson-Tucker, said it was hoped the new system would make it simpler and more convenient for those who were eligible for the rebate, many of whom were superannuitants.

Council staff were not sure why some were not applying for the rebate but were aware some saw it as a handout.

"It's not a handout at all," Mrs Jamieson-Tucker said. "They are entitled to that rebate and we want everyone out there who is eligible to apply for it."

Rotorua district councillor Glenys Searancke is concerned about ratepayers having to cover the $30,000 a year it costs council to administer the rebate scheme. "It's just not on."

She said if the Government wanted to run the scheme it should administer it or at least reimburse councils for doing the work.