ARC turns down rates reform call

Councillors, who face the polls in seven months, yesterday voted 7-5 to keep the status quo after promising a review in the face of a ratepayer revolt. The boundaries for the public transport rate will not change either.

The ARC has now twice rejected the idea of introducing a business differential leading to lower rates for households.

Charging businesses 1 1/2 times the residential rate would have saved nearly 300,000 households between $5 and more than $500.

Instead, the council is planning to raise rates by 3.2 per cent. The public will have the opportunity to make submissions on the rates increase, including options for a business differential, from April 5 to May 3. Last year, councillors ignored most submissions and introduced the system, with strong backing from business.

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