Future project funding is being decided NOW in Tāmaki Makaurau! 💰 Share your feedback with Auckland Council today on their Emergency Budget with our quick submit form ❤️ Submissions close Friday 19th June! 👍 Read below to use our form!

Future project funding is being decided NOW in Tāmaki Makaurau! 💰 Share your feedback with Auckland Council today on their Emergency Budget with our quick submit form ❤️ Submissions close Friday 19th June! 👍 Read below to use our form!

What’s going on?

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted Auckland Council’s budget. The money that is used to pay for essential services like transport, facilities, development project and their climate change response actions comes from things like our public transport fares, consent fees and revenue from facilities and services the council offers - all of which will have dropped significantly in 2020.

The council has had to respond quickly to consider how they address the big revenue gap, we’re glad they’re getting on to this and asking for the public’s feedback.

The council is cost cutting at their end (slowing down expensive projects, selling assets and increasing their borrowing) and they are also asking for a rates increase.

What are rates?

Anyone who owns a home will pay a monthly or annual fee that goes to the local council to ensure that services and facilities are available in the community. They pay for crucial services like public transport, rubbish collection, libraries; and here in Auckland they also help pay for things like the Movies in Parks, Music in Parks, water quality improvements, diversity festivals, town centre upgrades and new parks.

Rates are generally pretty equitable because the cost is based on the property’s value (the more valuable the home is, the expensive the rates are).

Info sourced from Auckland Council Emergency Budget Consultation Document

Why does it matter?

The investments we make now are important for the future of Auckland, which affects all of us. The cost of transport, development and climate change action is only going to get more complex and more expensive the longer we leave it, so it make sense to make smart investments as early as we can. Then we can all reap the benefits sooner rather than later.

While many people do not own their own home, it’s still important that everyone gives their feedback, especially young people who will inherit the Auckland that we build today.

So what do I do?

- Auckland Council wants feedback on whether they should increase rates to 2.5% (an extra $1.35 per week for your average rate payer) or 3.5% (an extra $1.82 per week)

- Our quick submit is below which is super simple (only a couple of key questions) and it’s due ASAP! (this Friday)

- Have a look at the info about what the different rates increases mean for projects and services in Auckland. See below for specific transport and climate related info and see here for more info on other services

- GZ is encouraging our supporters to consider climate action and transport investment when they make their submission, but we are aware that covid has been really tough on people financially, so it’s your call to submit on what feels right to you.

- BTW, you can suggest other options too - this includes asking for more than 3.5% rise, asking for specific projects to go ahead regardless of which increase is chosen, ask for more funding from central government - it’s your opportunity to tell the Council what’s important to you.