Ratepayers' Alliance

We are a group of Aucklanders championing value for money from Auckland Council. We expose waste, fight for lower rates, and champion accountability.

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

@DennyPaoa

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

'Fiscal conservatives' back biggest rates hike in Super City history
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance says a bloc of supposedly centre-right councillors has helped ram through the biggest rates hike in Super City history, despite Auckland Council’s spending blowing out by nearly $1 billion since Wayne Brown’s first budget in 2023.

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

@DennyPaoa 15:7 (as far as we know) unbelievable after 63% of Aucklanders did not support the annual plan...

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

The Budget Committee has rejected a proposal to reduce the rates increase from 7.9% to 5.9% and approved @MayorWayneBrown’s rates blowout by 15-7 #stopwayne

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

"Ratepayers have every right to ask why councillors who talk like conservatives keep voting like big spenders. Aucklanders were promised discipline. What they are getting is higher spending and a record rates increases."

The supposed centre-right councillors who voted Wayne Brown's record high rates increase were Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, Councillor Victoria Short (Albany), Councillor Andy Baker (Franklin), Councillor Daniel Newman (Manurewa-Papakura), Councillor Matt Winiata (Manurewa-Papakura).

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

"Since Wayne Brown’s first budget in 2023, council spending has increased by nearly $1 billion — a staggering 28 percent blowout. That tells Aucklanders everything they need to know. This rates hike is not the product of careful budgeting. It is the product of a council that has failed to control its own spending."

"The Mayor claimed the 7.9 percent increase was entirely about paying for the City Rail Link, but today’s committee proceedings confirmed there were alternatives. Instead of cutting a bloated budget, the council majority chose to reach deeper into the pockets of already stretched households."

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

Cr Daniel Newman says he will vote to pass the budget but is urging @MayorWayneBrown to cut the rates increase.

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

Auckland Council’s budget committee debating @MayorWayneBrown’s rates blowout #stopwayne

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

Left-wing councillors are making it very clear they don’t care about those ratepayers struggling to pay the bills (some who are even losing their homes) 😢

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

Cr Bo Burns says elderly and single parent families will be most affected by the rates blowout. People are hurting. She is now calling out Auckland Council for lack of meaningful consultation with ratepayers.

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson justifying the rates blowout on the grounds that $60 million of savings is too hard to find in an organisation that has an annual operating budget of $4 billion 🙄

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

@MayorWayneBrown

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

Two have been sent in!

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

Have you noticed something different around town today? 📷

You might want to look up next time you drive past a billboard...

And if you spot it, send us a photo!

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

@MayorWayneBrown says this year's rates increase is entirely to pay for the CRL. But the numbers tell a different story...

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

Join here: https://t.co/TNLUEBPd7D

[Ratepayers' Alliance @AkldRatepayers]

Well, that didn't age well. Especially not for ratepayers 😡