Auckland Grey Power: Elderly will struggle to pay rates

The council is proposing an overall rates increase of 3.5 per cent from July, but for households the average increase is 5.6 per cent. Photo / Doug Sherring

Auckland Grey Power is holding a meeting in Mt Albert today on the council's 10-year budget, saying the city's elderly population will struggle to pay proposed higher rates.

Anne-Marie Coury, President of Auckland Grey Power, said about 7 per cent of Auckland's population is dependent on superannuation and "some of these people own homes, and will struggle to maintain them, let alone heat them, if their rates continue to rise".

The council is proposing an overall rates increase of 3.5 per cent from July, but for households the average increase is 5.6 per cent, due to new property revaluations and a plan to reduce the amount of rates paid by business.

"The bare truth will hurt when the new rates bills arrive in August," Ms Coury said.

Ms Coury said Aucklanders understood the need to tackle the city's transport problems, and raised the alternative option of a middle way by the youth lobby group Generation Zero.

Generation Zero's "Essential Transport Budget" is $220 million a year cheaper than the council's "Auckland Plan" transport budget. It would prioritise public transport and cycling and delay costly roading projects.

Ms Coury also said the council should be able to come up with savings without having to to reduce library hours and raising the costs of community facilities beyond the reach of those groups they are there to assist.

See Generation Zero's alternative budget plans: HERE