KEY POINTS:
An independent panel carrying out a Government inquiry into local body rates moves to Auckland today smarting from criticism that the timing of hearings prevents many ratepayers from airing their views.
About 50 people turned up to the first meeting, in Hamilton yesterday, to vent their anger, opinions and theoretical solutions over the spiralling rates bills being imposed by territorial authorities throughout New Zealand.
But, from the outset, panel chairman David Shand was grilled with questions about the short notice of the public meeting and why it was being held during work hours.
"If this is a serious meeting it should have been better publicised," said resident Joe Simpson. "I rang the local council this morning, and they said they were not sure who you [the rates inquiry panel] were or where you were."
Another person interjected: "Just look around. There's only about 30 or 40 people here and most of them are senior citizens. It's an absolute disgrace. There's been inadequate advertising. This issue has been bugging Hamiltonians for many years. This inadequate campaign is beyond comprehension."
Mr Shand admitted there was a limited advertising budget, but said the meeting had been notified on radio and in the newspapers.
The issue of evening meetings would be looked into if it was found the daylight hours were inappropriate, he said.
A number of issues were raised by Hamilton ratepayers yesterday.
John Gibson of Grey Power said he was concerned about the councils' way of collecting rates by way of capital valuations.
"Particularly in the urban areas where values rise steeply at each valuation."
Cash-poor elderly people were being forced to sell their homes because of increased valuations that were leading to higher rates they could not afford.
"It's quite unjust if these people are forced to move from properties where they are mentally and physically comfortable because they cannot meet the rates demands."
Hamilton ratepayer Tiare Waaka-Timoti said borrowing to fund inappropriate projects was a big part of the problem. "City councils are getting into more debt, and eventually they'll make us pay for it."
Non-profit organisations such as churches and schools should be treated no differently from anyone else, Mr Waaka-Timoti said, and should be forced to pay rates.
Russelle Knaap, who owns properties in different districts, said her biggest gripe was with central government and her local "empire-building" regional council, Environment Waikato.
The burden of national projects, such as the clean-up of Lake Taupo, was being "shunted on" to local areas that were hundreds of kilometres away, she said.
Hamilton rates activist Moira Johnson referred to 67 different pieces of Government legislation that local bodies were expected to implement, without any financial help from those who were writing the new laws.
Compliance costs were out of control, she said. Environment Waikato had provided information that recently introduced laws would cost it an estimated $7 million to implement.
Despite her requests, Hamilton City Council had refused to give Ms Johnson an estimation of the costs it expected to bear due to the new laws.
"The drivers [of increasing council expenditure] are the huge demands on council," she said. "Public expectations have soared with little regard to costs and who will be paying."
Former Hamilton mayor David Braithwaite addressed the meeting as another concerned ratepayer.
He criticised the way councils were being run and said the answer was not raising more money, but spending it more wisely. Local authorities would be crucified if they had to operate in a world of commercial realities, he said.
"The city council is involved in all sorts of things it should not be involved in, from airports to hotels."
An audience member retorted with the comment "and stadiums," referring to Mr Braithwaite's past leadership role in building Waikato Stadium.
Many in the audience encouraged introduction of a "user pays system" for large council projects.
Mr Simpson said councils needed to get "back to basics" and provide only essential services.
Rates Inquiry
* Today: Mt Smart Stadium, Penrose.
* 9.30am to 12.30pm: Forum between panel members, councillors and staff. Public can attend as observers.
* 2pm to 4.30pm: Chance for the public to have a say.
