Federated Farmers has submitted on Waikato District Council’s draft Long Term Plan. We let Council know our concerns with their funding policies that over rely on the general rate and don’t fully utilise options available to spread the rates burden more equitably across ratepayer groups. When projected rate increases are higher for farmers than those ratepayers who are connected to and directly benefit from council services, it is a clear indicator that something isn’t right. We also provided specific comment on the proposals council sought feedback on. We supported the option to sell pensioner housing to a responsible provider, from the information available that option looks to provide the best outcomes for both ratepayers and tenants. We asked for the inorganic collection to remain reminding council that pulling a service like that can have the perverse outcome of creating more illegal dumping in rural areas. Whilst council advised that costs are likely to increase substantially over the next three years, the proposed rate implications didn’t reflect that. Pulling the service will only save those who pay the solid waste targeted rate around $20 a year, which when considered against the benefit of receiving the service, seems immaterial.
Our full submission can be reviewed on the right.