Holiday is over, rates now up 5.4%

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 15, Issue 694, 8 July 1997, Page 1

Holiday is over, rates now up 5.4%

Ruapehu District Council's acting chief execu tive Chris Ryan was asked by councillors how best the council could convey the bad news of the impending 5.4% rates rise overall to ratepayers through the media. Mr Ryan reminded councillors that ratepayers had just enjoyed a "rates holiday" following their decision to set a nil-increase last year and this meant that rates had been held at the 1995/96 level leaving $472,000 in rates which were not collected. "There is no way around some of the hard decisions we have to make to meet our financial obligations in the long run", he said. Cr Bob Peck said that the public would be "livid" unless the rate increase this year is very fully explained and, unless it was, he expected to get some criticism. "On the bther hand no-one thanked me for not applying a rate increase last year!" he added. Cr John Compton suggested the best way to explain the

increase was simply to say we are paying back the loan from last year. Changes to the annual plan as a result of last week's meetings are: General Rate: Rates Remissions, $34,875; Contingencies (provision for potential changes to land values), $11,000; RDC Holdings Management Fee, $28,125; Reinstatement of Farm Track (Waimarino), $9,000; Piping of Raetihi Hotel Drain, $6,750; Total $89,750. Roading Rate South: Contingencies (provision for potential changes to land values), $45,000 National Park Ward Rate: Contingencies (provision for potential changes to land values), $1,000 Waimarino Ward Rate: Additional Funds - Cornelius Bridge, $10,125; Contingencies (provision for potential changes to land values), $15,000; Total $25,125. Waiouru Ward Rate: Ruanui Street Footpaths (Waiouru), $3,375; Dissolution of Waiouru Community Board, (a reTurn to Page 8

Holiday over, rates up 5.4%

FROM PAGE 1 duction of $15,750); Total (reduction of $12,375) Separate Uniform Annual Charges: Ohakune Landfill Maintenance (reduction of $5,626); Ohakune Sewerage Reticulation Upgrade (Further Loan Funds), $4,500; Total, reduction $1,125. Grand Total $147,375.