Letters: A leg up for first home buyers; landlords back in the firing line; council’s one-year fence delay

'A simple and just solution would be to allow first home buyers to deduct their mortgage interest from their taxable income.'

A leg up for first home buyers

Pauline Sommerville’s letter highlights the inequity that first home buyers suffer, whilst investors will have the advantage of tax-deductible interest on their mortgages (NZ Herald, April 22).

A simple and just solution would be to allow first home buyers to deduct their mortgage interest from their taxable income. This would make it far more possible for that group of people to get a foothold on the property ladder.

There would be huge advantages for families, and for the nation. Families would have a secure place to live, and children would not have to be moved from school to school, probably helping to reduce school attendance problems. Pride in property ownership would enhance neighbourhoods. Also pressure on Housing New Zealand to provide rentals would reduce.

If the government of the day really cares about ordinary Kiwis, then this is an idea that could make a huge difference.

John Maltby, Warkworth.

‘Tyranny of the majority’

We are, as correspondent Pauline Sommerville rightly points out, becoming a country divided into “haves and have nots” (NZ Herald, April 22). A good measure of this is home ownership. The “haves” usually own their own home, and the “have nots” are generally renters.

Statistically, about two-thirds of New Zealanders are in the former category and one-third in the latter. I believe this explains why both parties pander to homeowners at the expense of renters; it’s where the most votes are. I’m not optimistic this “tyranny of the majority” is about to change anytime soon. And the future social costs don’t bear thinking about.

Doug Hannan, Mount Maunganui.

Landlords in firing line

Landlord-bashing seems to be New Zealand’s new blood sport (NZ Herald, April 22). Just to recap: the Labour Government removed interest deductibility, thereby arbitrarily singling out one sector of the economy for punishment. Reversing Labour’s move does no more than reinstating natural justice. Correspondents may also want to note that interest is not deducted from taxes but from taxable income.

In a similar vein: adjusting tax thresholds is not a tax cut. It merely avoids a tax hike. With good reason, threshold creep is called tax increase by stealth. That’s why it is so beloved by profligate governments.

KH Peter Kammler, Warkworth.

Tax cut maths

Nicola Willis must think all of the population failed maths at school. What is evident is that tax cuts mean less revenue. As a result, there is less revenue for public services and works.

To say the cuts are financially neutral is totally misleading, as revenue and expenditure have to be a total package. On top of this loss of revenue, the special tax cuts for landlords will have a negative effect. Some of this lost revenue could be spent on our doctors and police, who are very unhappy and will walk unless respite is forthcoming.

It’s one thing to keep a promise, but another to jump off the cliff and take everyone else with you.

Reg Dempster, Albany.

Public sector fallout

It took just over a year to get my NZ citizenship application processed between 2022-23. I was delighted to finally receive it. How long is it going to take other applicants to learn their fate and make plans for their futures with the cuts about to be made to DIA staff?

Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark.

One tree, one year

A family member is involved with a property on the Whangaparāoa Peninsula which backs on to council land. During Cyclone Gabrielle, a tree on the council land was blown over, landed on the boundary fence and damaged it.

The owners of the property informed the council of the damage and in May 2023 requested part payment from council as its share for the repair. From May 2023 to April 2024, correspondence went back and forth, with several different staff becoming involved. Finally, this week, notification was received that payment would be made ... for the modest sum of $3500.

Herein, Aucklanders, lies an example of the major time and financial inefficiency issues of our council.

Janet Boyle, Orewa.

Pipe problems

Thirty years ago, the schoolboy I hired to mow my lawn told me that the problem with silt in the Waitematā Harbour (’Wake up Auckland - the Hauraki Gulf is a wasteland’, NZ Herald, April 22) was “impermeable surfaces”. The council has created a stormwater network of impermeable concrete pipes that direct every dead bird, fallen leaf, dripping oil, and worn tyre directly into the Waitemata Harbour rather than filtering that rainwater through the ground. If a schoolboy figured that out 30 years ago, why can’t highly-paid engineers understand it?

John Caldwell, Howick.