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Kavinda Herath / stuff
Federated Farmers Southland President Chris Dillon says it looks like the councils will become just another arm of the government to collect taxes.
We all have to tighten our belts in tough times, right? Unless you are apparently Environment Southland.
In fact, city councils have just voted to do the exact opposite and decided to increase rates by 20 percent.
Federated Farmers’ motion challenged the need for a significant rate hike, appealed to the council for a lack of details in the consultation documents and offered alternative solutions to avoid the huge hike.
Despite this, and the fact that only 10 of the 52 petitions received supported the 20 percent increase, the majority of city councils voted in favor.
CONTINUE READING:
* Environment Southland rates to increase by 20 percent
* Invercargill City Council questions Environment Southland’s proposed tariff distribution
* The council “evaluates the life of the rural community,” said citizen leaders
Councilor Eric Roy declared: “There was no outcry against 20 percent”.
Perhaps the lack of outcry was the Fed’s mistake in participating in the process in good faith without causing a great deal of outcry in the media and other channels.
The question arises: Have the Council members considered the reasons for the lack of substantive feedback?
The vast majority of taxpayers did not get involved at all – not surprising given the weariness over impractical regulations and poorly thought out taxes.
Most of the senders did not provide support for any of the options for a large rate hike. Did the Council members consider that the consultation documents were insubstantial in that it was not possible for citizens to make informed comments?
Federated Farmers was constructive – provided the council with examples of more substantial consultation documents from other councils and alternatives to rate hikes.
We have asked the Council to come up with a more appropriate level of detail next year and have consulted it again.
Comments from Environment Southland Chairman Nicol Horrell described this rise in rates as a “reset” and a one-off.
That may be true, but it will not be removed – the additional 20 percent will be part of the new base rates going forward.
Robyn Edie
Federated Farmers Life Member David Rose (back left) and Federated Farmers Southland President Chris Dillon (back right) deliver their contributions at the hearing on Environment Southland’s Long Term Plan for a projected rate increase.
Future increases may be lower, but will be added to the base value.
Chairman Horrell said it was “time to show leadership”. He’s right – but let’s not lead the way on excessive rate hikes.
We know that some of the council’s increased costs are due to government regulation, including the implementation of the much maligned Essential Freshwater package that both Environment Southland and Federated Farmers have opposed.
How about Environment Southland showing leadership by re-engaging its peers across the country and saying a single “NO†to government unaffordable, impractical new rules. We have worked very hard to get this message across – to have it reinforced by councils would be powerful.
As it stands, the councils are becoming just another arm of the government for collecting taxes.
We understand that the past 18 months have been unprecedented and that adjustments need to be made.
But as entrepreneurs, in difficult times we have to tailor our clothes accordingly. Just because the council has the ability to collect additional funds from the installment payers doesn’t mean it should.
Environment Southland would do well to follow the example of the Catchment Management Division, which dealt with the consequences of the floods of February 2020 on the Oreti and Mataura rivers, without going into civil protection reserves and without the need to raise rates.
Unforeseen circumstances don’t have to mean budget cuts. We believe the Council will have to dig deeper to cut its fabric – just like the rest of us in these crazy times.
Councilors McPhail, Baird and Stevens voted against this rate hike – and we want others to reconsider their position.
The council meeting to ratify this wage increase will take place at the end of July.
If readers are as angry about this as we are, now is the time to speak up. Contact any of the city councilors who voted yes or email them all! It is not over till it’s over.
We have four weeks to let them know they got this wrong.
- Chris Dillon is the Southland President of Federated Farmers
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