Retiring Lower Hutt mayor Campbell Barry has issued a warning to local body voters.
When you vote in this year’s local body elections – and you should vote – be wary of the candidate who promises zero rates increases.
“Zero rates increases are of course possible,” Campbell Barry said, “but they do have serious consequences on local services and infrastructure delivery.
“The low-rates approach – and our (Lower Hutt) council suffered from it for a couple of decades – is the reason we’re in the infrastructure deficit we have now.
“Across the country, I think it’s about $52 billion in backlog of infrastructure deferrals that have happened, and those candidates who come out and say they’re just going to slash the rates … they need to be upfront.”
They need to “tell people, ‘well, that also means our pipes aren’t going to be renewed, we’re going to look at closing libraries, we’re going to obviously get rid of staff and the services they provide in local communities.’”
“They can’t have their cake and eat it too; they need to be challenged (to) explain actually how they plan to do it.”
